The Government of Ireland is offering the 2020 Postgraduate Fellowship Training Programme in Ireland for applicants from partner countries.
Application Deadline: 28th August, 2019.
Offered annually? YesÂ
Eligible Countries: Cambodia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Palestine, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia or Zimbabwe.
Get Up to $100,000 Student Loan for Your Master in US or Canada - Apply before 31 December 2024 to get as low as 9.99% interest rate
Fields of Study: Relevant Masters programmes in Ireland and regionally. A directory listing suitable courses for study in Ireland is available to applicants, covering programmes in up to 12 subject areas.
Before finalising your course choices and submitting your application, please confirm with the relevant Irish Embassy that they remain fully satisfied that the courses you have chosen from the Irish Aid Directory of Eligible Postgraduate Courses accord with the Embassy’s country priorities. Embassy contact details are available below.
About the Award:Â Irish Aid Fellowships are awarded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and are targeted mainly at the countries in which Ireland has established development cooperation programmes. The Fellowship Training Programme was Irish Aid’s first scholarship programme, begun in 1974. Since that time, it has brought suitably qualified candidates from developing countries to undertake Masters degrees at universities and colleges in Ireland, with further students supported for similar courses in their own region.
Awards are made in fields such as development studies, rural development, health care, education and law with the aim of supporting and enhancing the contribution recipients can make to Irish Aid’s partner organisations. Fellowship eligibility requirements aim to ensure close alignment with Irish Aid’s programmatic approach.
Selection: Irish Aid Partners initiate the selection process. They are required to put forward a gender-balanced panel of candidates and a good representation of the Civil Society. Candidates working in disadvantaged regions of the country are given priority. These candidates are then entered into the final competition of the Fellowship Training Programme together with candidates from other Irish Aid Partner Countries.
Eligibility:Â To be eligible, applicants must
- be a citizen of one of the following countries: Cambodia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Palestine, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia or Zimbabwe.
- be resident in that country.
- have achieved the necessary academic standard to be accepted onto a Master’s degree course in a higher education institution in Ireland (an undergraduate degree at equivalent to pass level is not sufficient).
- be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to the development of their home country.
- have identified and selected two relevant courses from the Irish Aid Directory of Eligible Postgraduate Courses.
- be applying to commence a new qualification and not be seeking funding for a course they have already commenced or which will begin before fellowship awards have been notified.
- be able to take up the fellowship in the academic year 2019/2020.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate their skills in academic English with an appropriate score on a recognised test (IELTS 6.5 or higher).
An applicant will not be considered further in either of the following circumstances:
- They already hold a master’s qualification.
- They have applied for the Fellowship Training Programme on two or more previous occasions without being awarded a fellowship. (Cases where an applicant withdrew from the process previously may be considered if there were exceptional or unforeseen circumstances for withdrawal in that instance).
- They are currently working, or it is anticipated that they will work in the future, at our embassies or at headquarters. Those personnel who have worked with any of our embassies/missions in the past must allow a full year before becoming eligible to apply for a fellowship.
In addition to the above, some additional eligibility requirements apply in some countries as follows:
Applications by invitation only:Â Cambodia, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Myanmar, Namibia, Palestine, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Minimum of 2 years’ work experience following undergraduate studies: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia.
IELTS certificate must be submitted at time of application (before November 30, 2018):Â Ethiopia.
All successful applicants will be required to sign a commitment to return to their home country within 14 days of completing their studies in Ireland.
Number of Awards:Â Not Specified
Value of Award:Â The scholarship award covers course fees, required flights, accommodation (for out of country study), monthly allowances, insurance and other incidental expenses. Eligible Masters programmes in Ireland commence in the period August to September each year and, depending on the course, scholarships will run for between 10 and 16 months.
How to Apply:Â The Application Form and Directory of Postgraduate Courses are both available for download in the Scholarship Webpage Link below.
Click on your country in the Scholarship Webpage (See Link below) to contact the relevant Embassy of Ireland / Mission.
Visit Scholarship Webpage for Details
Award Provider:Â Irish Government
