Ruth First Educational Trust Scholarships 2025/2026 for Southern African Students to Study at Durham University – UK

The Ruth First Educational Trust is seeking applications for its Scholarship program to enable southern African students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds to undertake postgraduate study at the University of Durham.

Application Deadline: 31st March 2025

Offered annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Republic of South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

To be taken at (country): University of Durham,UK

About the Ruth First Award: Scholarships make an important contribution towards social, educational and economic development in the region. In addition to their value to individuals they have wide developmental impact, within and beyond southern Africa.

Ruth First Scholars have played positive leadership roles in their communities and are chosen for their active commitment to good causes, as well as for their academic ability.

Many former Ruth First Scholars now hold important positions in the public and private sectors in southern Africa, and have become inspirational role models for young people.

Type: Taught Master’s Degree programmes

Eligibility: Applicants should:

• hold a relevant honours degree of sufficient standard to be admitted to your chosen Master’s course (further conditions apply to the MBA programme), and
• not hold a Master’s degree, nor have previously studied at a university outside southern Africa, and
• show evidence of active involvement in and commitment to voluntary work for the benefit of causes such as rural or urban community development; young people or educational projects; charitable organizations; health or AIDS awareness projects; student welfare or guidance. If you have a paid job that involves working in such areas, you should show evidence of leadership and commitment beyond the requirements of the job.

The Trust aims to award the Scholarship to individuals who not only have the academic and personal qualities to enable them to complete and benefit from a postgraduate course, but who will also act as positive ambassadors for their home countries in Durham and put their enhanced knowledge and skills to good use for the benefit of the societies to which they return in Africa.

Number of Awardees: 1

Value of Ruth First Scholarship: 

• Full payment of tuition fees
• Stipend for living expenses – 12 monthly payments
• one return air ticket from the home country to the UK and the cost of return travel between the UK airport and Durham City
• Fully funded accommodation and meals at St Chad’s College
• ‘Settling in allowance’ on arrival
• A contribution towards the cost of a UK visa and the UK Health surcharge

The Trust cannot provide additional support for dependants, nor for travel during the period of the Scholarship.

Duration of Scholarship: One year

How to Apply for Ruth First Scholarship: Go to Durham University’s page for the Ruth First Scholarship and complete the online application forms for a place at the University and for the Scholarship. 

You must make the application to the University first. When you do this, the system will generate a Durham Student ID number which you must include in your Ruth First Scholarship application. 

The deadline for applications is 31 March 2025.

A scan of your first degree results transcript must be e-mailed to Prof Michael Thompson at ruthfirst.trust@durham.ac.uk.

TWO reference letters (one academic and one non-academic) must be provided for your Ruth First application; the academic one may also be used for your University application, while the non-academic one should provide information about your achievements in paid or voluntary work. The reference letters must be e-mailed to Prof Michael Thompson at ruthfirst.trust@durham.ac.uk.

An offer of a place at the University does not imply that you have been awarded the Ruth First Scholarship; applicants who are not offered a place by the University cannot be considered for the Scholarship. Applicants for the Scholarship are not required to pay a tuition fee deposit to the University (if the system fails to recognize this and sends you an e-mail requesting payment of a deposit, reply to the e-mail pointing out that you are applying for the Ruth First Scholarship). The winner of the Scholarship will be notified once the selection process has been completed.

List of courses available
(Browse all courses or search for a particular subject; specify Postgraduate)

Visit Scholarship Webpage for details