Call for Applications - AFAS Master's Programme

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS TO THE AFAS MASTER'S PROGRAMME
in

"Nature‑based Solutions (NbS), Climate Change Adaptation & Biodiversity Conservation in African Savannas"

for the academic year 2026/28.

Application deadline: March 31st, 2026

CLICK TO APPLY

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AFAS Masters Fellowships (2026 Intake)

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

AFAS Master’s Fellowships
Nature‑based Solutions (NbS), Climate Change Adaptation & Biodiversity Conservation in African Savannas

  • Application deadline: 31st March 2026
  • Applicants may apply to either the University of Nairobi (UoN), Nairobi, Kenya, or Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, BUT NOT BOTH
  • There is a simultaneous call for master fellowships at CABES, a project closely linked to AFAS. Applicants can only apply to either the CABES or AFAS master programme BUT NOT BOTH

PROGRAM SUMMARY

The African Climate and Environment Centre – Future African Savannas (AFAS) is a part of the Global Centers for Climate and Environment program of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). AFAS is a partnership of four universities: the University of Nairobi (UoN), Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), the University of Cologne, and the University of Bonn. The program is based at the University of Nairobi through its Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation (ICCA) in Nairobi, Kenya, and at the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny through its African Centre of Excellence on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (CEA-CCBAD) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

AFAS trains graduates to connect science, policy, and practice, co‑produce knowledge with stakeholders, and contribute to national, regional, and global climate and biodiversity agendas.

AFAS aims to address climate change adaptation and ecosystems conservation in Africa’s savannas. AFAS Phase 2 (2026–2030) builds on strong foundations laid in Phase 1 (2021-2025) and places stronger emphasis on implementation, stakeholder engagement, and real‑world impact. The program focuses on Nature‑based Solutions (NbS) and the Science–Policy–Practice Interface (SPPI) as pathways to address climate change, ecosystem degradation, and livelihood challenges across African savanna landscapes.

For the master’s thesis the emphasis will be on one of the following five thematic areas: water, agriculture, energy, One Health, and biodiversity. Applicants will need to select one of these thematic areas and then express and explain their preference in the motivation & reflection statement (for details see below).

FELLOWSHIP OVERVIEW

For the 2026 intake, AFAS will award 18 fully funded Master’s fellowships across its two host universities.

Fellows will enroll in an AFAS-aligned Master’s program at their host university, take part in joint AFAS courses, hybrid modules, and soft-skills training, and conduct demand-oriented research on Nature-based Solutions in African savannas. They will actively engage with policy actors, practitioners, NGOs, communities, and private-sector stakeholders, and complete a Master’s thesis that is closely linked to real-world challenges.

The AFAS program is conducted in English.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

AFAS Phase 2 is not a conventional academic scholarship. We seek applicants who demonstrate critical and independent thinking, the ability to reflect on real-world environmental challenges, and strong motivation.

Applications that rely on generic or scripted language without clear personal insight, contextual understanding, or reflection will be at a disadvantage.

WHAT THE FELLOWSHIP COVERS

The fellowship covers full tuition fees, provides a monthly stipend equivalent to the local currency, includes health insurance and a laptop computer, offers an individual research budget upon proposal approval and successful completion of all course modules, and supports participation in an AFAS summer school, workshops, and other (face-to-face and online) exchange activities.

Continuation of funding is conditional upon satisfactory academic progress and engagement. Students are expected to submit regular progress updates. Any form of misconduct, failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress and non-compliance with the university’s regulations could result in the termination of the scholarship and obligation to refund the scholarship awarded. In addition, any fellow opting out of the program will be required to refund the full amount of the scholarship awarded.

SELECTION PROCESS

Selection is competitive and multi‑stage:

1. Eligibility screening

2. Qualitative assessment of motivation statements

3. Shortlisted interviews focusing on reasoning, reflection, and alignment with AFAS

4. Final selection subject to admission at the host university.

UFHB‑SPECIFIC CALL

Applications to AFAS program at Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB)

Eligibility

Candidates willing to apply must have:

  • Concluded a Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in environmental and/or agricultural sciences or biology, ecology and climate sciences, economics, sociology, or any other relevant discipline.
  • The required university degrees must have been awarded by a university or a higher education institution officially recognized by the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES).
  • Must not be older than age 26 years on the 2nd of October 2026.
  • Be willing to be a single/individual resident on the campus of “Pôle Scientifique et d’Innovation de l’UFHB” for the full duration of the program.
  • This is a full-time assignment which requires physical presence and outside work is not permitted for the duration of the fellowship.
  • UFHB applicants from Central and Western Africa are encouraged to apply.
  • University Certified Diplomas/Bachelors/Masters certificates. All certified documents not issued in French must be accompanied by an official French translation.
  • Applicants from French-language academic backgrounds are asked to provide official evidence of English language proficiency, in the form of an IELTS or TOEFL certificate or equivalent demonstrating a satisfactory level of competence.
  • A passport is required for non-citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

UoN‑SPECIFIC CALL

Applications to the AFAS program at the University of Nairobi (UoN)

Eligibility

Candidates willing to apply must have:

  • Concluded a Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in environmental and/or agricultural sciences or biology, ecology and climate sciences, economics, sociology, or any other relevant discipline.
  • Must have a minimum second-upper honors degree or equivalent approved by Kenya’s Commission for University Education (CUE)
  • Must not be older than 26 years on the 2nd of October 2026.
  • Must be willing to be a single/individual resident in the student’s residence recommended by the University of Nairobi for the duration of the program.
  • This is a fulltime assignment which requires physical presence and outside work is not permitted for the duration of the fellowship.
  • Applicants from universities which do not use English as a language of instruction should provide evidence of English proficiency in the form of a certificate of IELTS or TOEFL or equivalent demonstrating a satisfactory level of competence.
  • University Certified Diplomas/Bachelors/Masters certificates (if not in English, please provide official English translation from/or certified by the university). Note: In certain cases, further verification may be required from Kenya’s Commission for University Education (see below).
  • Before applying for the scholarship, applicants are expected to visit the University of Nairobi website https://www.uonbi.ac.ke and the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences website http://earthclimatesciences.uonbi.ac.ke to confirm their eligibility for admission and get more details on the program, respectively.
  • At UoN, selected candidates will immediately be required to seek admission to the University of Nairobi master’s program in Climate Change Adaptation through the University website https://application.uonbi.ac.ke/. An application fee (approximately USD 50) will be charged which is non-refundable.
  • A passport is required for non-Kenyan citizens.

REQUIRED APPLICATION DOCUMENTS FOR BOTH UFHB AND UoN (SINGLE PDF)

  1. Motivation & Reflection Statement (max. 1000 words, 1.5 space, 11 Calibri)                                                                                                    Applicants must respond explicitly to the following prompts:
    • Which ONE of the five thematic areas would you like to do research on: water, agriculture, energy, One Health and biodiversity? Motivate your choice with a short research idea in max. 250 words?
    • Which other ONE of the five thematic areas could also be of interest to you (one sentence; no motivation needed)?
    • What concrete environmental or development challenge motivates you personally?
    • How do you understand Nature‑based Solutions in your own context?
    • Describe one real example (project, policy, community practice, or observation) that shaped your interest.
    • How do you see yourself engaging with policy or practice actors, not only actors from academia?
    • What skills or perspectives do you hope to develop during AFAS Phase 2?
  2. Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
  3. University Certified Diplomas/Bachelors/Masters certificates (see details above).
  4. University Certified Transcripts of academic records (see details above).
  5. Two duly signed letters of recommendation, including the full contact details of the referees (at least one of the letters must be issued by a member of staff of the institution that awarded the most recent degree).
  6. Proof of English proficiency (if applicable)
  7. Birth certificate
  8. A recent passport photo

 

 

PS: All documents required should be submitted as one pdf document and, in the order listed above (1 to 8)

Selection and admission process

Only shortlisted applicants will be notified in due course about their interview dates via email.

For technical issues or questions about the application process, please contact us at info@afas.africa.

APPLY NOW!