Ireland Fellows Programme – SIDS 2025 for Researchers from Small Island Developing States

The Ireland Fellows Programme – SIDS – is one of a number of commitments set out in the Government’s Strategy for Partnership with Small Island Developing States, launched in June 2019.  The SIDS Strategy reflects the breadth of areas where Ireland and SIDS already collaborate, and where we have shared interests in global outcomes, including on climate action and ocean protection.

Application Deadline: 31ST JULY 2024.

About the Award: The Ireland Fellows Programme enables early to mid-career professionals from eligible countries, with leadership potential, to benefit from a prestigious, world-class, quality education contributing to capacity building. It offers selected students the opportunity to undertake a fully funded one-year master’s level programme at a higher education institution (HEI) in Ireland. The award covers programme fees, flights, accommodation and living costs. Eligible master’s level programmes in Ireland commence in August or September each year and, depending on the programme, will run for between 10 and 16 months. The Ireland Fellows Programme promotes equal opportunity and welcomes diversity.

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Eligible Field(s): Eligible courses are in areas such as agriculture, health, education, human rights, computer science, engineering, business and more, and are listed in a Directory of Eligible Programmes.

Type: Masters

Eligibility: To be eligible for an Ireland Fellows Programme – SIDS award commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2025, applicants must:

• Be a national of one of the eligible SIDS countries and resident in one of the eligible SIDS countries – they can be a national of one country and resident in another, in the same region, as set out here:

     Africa: Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles.
     Asia: Maldives, Timor-Leste.
     Caribbean: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
     For Belize, please see the Latin America Fellowship page.
     Pacific: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

• Have a minimum three years’ substantial work experience that is directly relevant to your proposed programme(s) of study.
• Hold a bachelor’s level academic qualification from an accredited and government-recognised higher education institution, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) – i.e. a first class honour, or second class honour, Grade 1 (a second class honour Grade 2 may be accepted if the applicant has substantial directly relevant work experience). It must have been awarded in 2012 or later (i.e. within the last 12 years).
• Not already hold a qualification at master’s level or higher. Not currently undertaking a programme at master’s level or higher, or be due to start a programme at master’s level or higher in the academic year 2024/25.
• Be applying to commence a new programme at master’s level in Ireland no sooner than August 2025.
• Be able to demonstrate the following: leadership abilities and aspirations; a commitment to the achievement of the SDGs within your own country; and a commitment to contribute to building positive relationships with Ireland.
• Have identified and selected three programmes relevant to your academic and professional background from the Directory of Eligible Programmes.
• Have a clear understanding of the academic and English language proficiencies required for all programmes chosen.
• Must not have applied to the Ireland Fellows Programme on more than one previous occasion.
• Be in a position to take up the Fellowship in the academic year 2025/2026.

The Fellowship covers the recipient only. Financial support or visas for spouses or dependents are not included within the scope of the programme.

Eligible Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Suriname, Papua New Guinea Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Palau, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Bahamas, Guinea-Bissau, Barbados, Belize,, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Cuba, Dominica Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Nauru, Maldives, Micronesia (Federated States of)Mauritius Marshall Islands, Haiti, Kiribati, Jamaica

To be Taken at (Country): Ireland

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Award: The award covers programme fees, flights, accommodation and living costs.

Duration of Award: Eligible master’s level programmes in Ireland commence in August or September each year and, depending on the programme, will run for between 10 and 16 months.

How to Apply: Please read the Applicant Guidance Note carefully before completing as eligibility criteria may differ from country to country. 

The application process consists of three stages:

• Stage 1   Preliminary Application;
• Stage 2   Detailed Application;
• Stage 3   Interviews.

• It is important to go through all application requirements in the Award Webpage (see Link below) before applying.
• GOODLUCK

Visit Award Webpage for Details