AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship 2025 for African Researchers

Applications for AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship 2025 by Africa-Oxford Initiative (AFOX) are now open for African Researchers

When is the Application Deadline:

3rd December 2024

Tell Me About AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship:

The Kennedy Institute is a world-leading research institute that carries out basic and translational research into immune function and inflammatory disease include immune mediated inflammatory disease (including Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease), mechano-inflammatory disease (including osteoarthritis and tendinopathy), cancer, biophysics, infection, microbiome, metabolism, aging, computational biology, heart disease and tissue healing. We have developed a fully funded AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship to build links between African Universities and Institutes and the Kennedy Institute.  Afox is a cross-university platform based at the University of Oxford with the aim of facilitating equitable and sustainable collaborations between researchers at the University of Oxford and African Universities. Find out more about AfoX.

• Outstanding supervision from academics with world-class reputations, and an excellent management and mentoring programme, together multi-disciplinary research and strategic links with industry and Institutes and Universities in Africa
• Exceptional research facilities in a new state-of-the-art medical research institute, with close links to the Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and the Wellcome Trust funded Structural Genomics Consortium
• First-rate track-record for thesis submission with additional measures of training success including publications and successful grant applications
• Career support and training in core and transferrable skills, to ensure eventual establishment of graduates as independent investigators in national and international research laboratories (over 85% of students who graduated in the last 4 years have progressed to post-doctoral research, clinical posts or healthcare-related work)

What Type of Scholarship is this?

Research

Who can apply for AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship?

Proven and potential academic excellence

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications:

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours

You do not need to have a previous master’s degree to be considered for this DPhil.

In exceptional circumstances, if the above criteria are not met, an applicant could be considered if they have substantial professional experience in a related field.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Although recent publications are beneficial, we recognise that not all applicants will have had the opportunity to undertake lab based research leading to publications due to circumstances beyond their control or are involved in data science / ‘team science’ projects thus we are looking for candidates to show evidence of motivation that might result from a range of different activities including non-lab based research.
• Research or working experience in any field may be an advantage.
• It would be expected that applicants will be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisors.
• For clinical applicants evidence of your NHS or HSE trust support will be required.

Extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

English language requirement

This course requires proficiency in English at the University’s standard level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University’s standard level are detailed in the table below.

Which Countries are Eligible?

African countries

Where will Award be Taken?

UK

How Many Scholarships will be Given?

Not specified

What is the Benefit of AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship?

• Stipend funding for 4 years (>£22,000 per annum), all tuition/fees (UK/ROI & Overseas tuition), including funding for laboratory expenses, training and conference travel
• Additional travel fund for return flight to Africa yearly
• Close links and supervisory relationships with institutions in Africa
• Mentoring program run by AfOx
• Social activities run by AfOx so you interact with the African student community in Oxford
• Close partnership with colleges linked to the AfOx program

You will develop your research skills during your first year, including compulsory attendance at the NDORMS fundamentals in biomedical research lectures. During the first term of AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship you will develop, in consultation with your supervisor, a training needs plan. Your training will be tailored to your specific project and personal requirements drawing from the vast range of courses available at Oxford and covering specialist scientific methods and transferable skills. Please note that there is no formal taught component of the DPhil in Molecular and Cellular Medicine; however, you will develop your research skills through a range of research training in your first year and attending journal clubs and institute seminar series. During the first term there is compulsory attendance at core lectures on a variety of research techniques and foci in the department including immunology, inflammation, tissue engineering, clinical trial design, epidemiology, rheumatology, orthopaedics and musculoskeletal diseases. During your first year, you will be expected to attend a minimum of three topic-related modules. Attendance on a two-day Data Analysis: Statistics Designing Clinical Research and Biostatistics course is compulsory to assist you with appropriate research design. As a component of your training, you will work with your supervisory team to write a research-specific literature review.

How Long will the Program Last?

4 Years

How to Apply for AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship:

Apply here

Visit AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship Webpage for Details