DAAD MPhil Southern Urbanism Scholarships for Sub-Saharan African Students 2025: (Deadline: 9 April 2024)

The African Centre for Cities, through Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) is calling for scholarship applications for 2024.

DAAD are offering five In-Region Scholarships* for students from Sub-Saharan Africa who enrol for the MPhil Southern Urbanism (Masters in Urban Studies) programme at the University of Cape Town.

About African Centre for Cities (ACC)

The nature and functioning of cities are at the epicentre of larger questions dominating the 21st Century about how we will fashion new economic and political systems that can effect a radically inclusive and sustainable society. Given that 95% of urban growth between now and 2050 will take place in Africa and Asia, the global South must take the lead in exploring and theorising emergent forms of urbanity. By necessity this knowledge practice must be rooted in concrete experiments to figure out how to imagine, enact and institutionalise novel forms of city-making….

DAAD MPhil Southern Urbanism Scholarships

Requirements for DAAD MPhil Southern Urbanism Scholarships Qualification

Applicants must:

• Have successfully completed generally a four-year university degree (Master candidates) with above average results (at least: Second Class/Upper Division or equivalent, if applicable);
• Clearly show motivation and strong commitment;
• Have thorough knowledge of the language of instruction;
• Have generally completed their last university degree not more than 6 years ago at the time of application;
• Be nationals or permanent residents of a Sub-Saharan African country (excluding South Africa);
• Generally be a) staff member of a public university, b) or a candidate considered for teaching or research staff recruitment, c) or from the public sector and/or d) Alumni of the DAFI-programme.

Female applicants, refugees with recognised refugee status and candidates from other less privileged regions or groups are especially encouraged to participate in the programme.

Scholarships are generally initially granted for one year and can be extended to a maximum of the regular period of study upon receipt of an application for extension. Scholars must demonstrate satisfactory progress before an extension is granted.

Please note: The University of Cape Town might have additional requirements for admission to the university.

Interview date, Process and Venue for DAAD MPhil Southern Urbanism Scholarships

Selection

The University of Cape Town will screen, pre-select and short-list the applicants that have met both their own admission requirements at the host institution and the formal criteria by DAAD. A detailed report consisting of the shortlisting procedure, the ranked shortlist and the shortlisting panel members will also be availed to DAAD. The ranked shortlist will contain preferably triple (at least double) the number of scholarships that have been attributed to the institution.

In a final selection, the applications ranked by the institution in the pre-selection will be assessed by an independent selection committee (international university professors and experts from German and foreign universities and alumni). The independent selection committee evaluates the applications on the basis of the submitted documents and in consideration of the pre-selection ranking of the institution. Areas evaluated include academic performance and quality, extracurricular activities, motivation, and relevance of the research topic (if applicable).

The duration of the Master programme is generally two years and is usually starting in February. The Master programme includes both coursework and a research phase.

Please note that the maximum duration of the scholarship is based on the time that is left until the scholarship holder has reached the regular period of studies in that programme; i.e., if you apply for a DAAD scholarship starting in your second year of studies of a three-year programme, the maximum duration of the scholarship will be two years.

The standard period of study and the start date are based on the agreement between the host university and the DAAD.

Documents Required for Application

Mandatory documents to be submitted (in either English or German) for the DAAD scholarship application:

• DAAD application form duly filled in (available in the DAAD portal)
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications (if applicable).
• One recommendation letter by university teachers
• Letter of admission for the host university/institution/network (this can be subsequently submitted before the scholarship begins if it is not available at the time of application)
• Certified copies of university degree certificates including transcripts (if available, including a grading scale for the final university grade)
• If available, information on the recognition of the university degree certificates in the host country
• Letter of motivation (1-2 pages)

In-Region Scholarship Programme – Call for Applications UCT – ST2– edition: 02/2024

• Copy of the passport (if applicable), or National Identification Card
• If applicable, information on the UNHCR registration as refugee
• If the Master programme includes both course work and a research phase, please submit:
• a short proposal for a possible Master project (2-3 pages)
• a timetable (if applicable: mentioning the planned research stay in Germany (if applicable), see “Additional benefits”)

Optional:

• Additional documents that might be relevant for your application (e.g. proof of internships, proof of employment).

Your application is only valid if you submit all the required documents via the DAAD portal on time. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. You are responsible for ensuring that your applications are complete. If you do not have documents such as recommendation letter and/or letter of admission at the time of application, please mention and explain this at an appropriate place in the application.

Please note that the scholarship only becomes effective as soon as the Admission Letter (this can be subsequently submitted before the scholarship begins if it is not available before) from the university is issued and once a proof (e.g., airline ticket, letter from supervisor or coordinator, admission test) has been submitted that you are on site at the host university to begin your studies. This must be submitted to the DAAD portal as soon as possible and is part of a complete application.

Application Deadline

Deadline: 9 April 2024

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to African Centre for Cities (ACC) on mydaad.b2clogin.com to applyPlease be aware of the DAAD’s application deadline as well as the University of Cape Town’s deadline.

The application process for DAAD scholarships contains the following steps.

Applicants must apply for the scholarship via the DAAD portal. Applicants are asked to log into the DAAD portal, register themselves and submit a DAAD application. DAAD’s Deadline: 9 April 2024

DAAD will conduct a formal review of the applications received via the DAAD portal according to DAAD criteria. Only complete applications and applicants who meet the DAAD application requirements and are formally admissible ac-cording to the DAAD selection criteria, will be availed to host institution for the next step.

Regardless of this process, applicants must at the same time apply for admission at the University of Cape Town using the contacts and the method that is prescribed by the institution. The Institution has set its own deadline for the admission process. Please inform yourself about the respective application processes at the host institution.

Please note: In some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, a document from the Qualifications Authority must be submitted for admission to the universities (e.g., from SAQA in South Africa). Please note that the application for these documents may take long and that it is the applicant’s responsibility to get in-formed at an early stage to receive the documents from the respective authorities in time.

The University of Cape Town will screen, pre-select and short-list the applicants that have met both their own admission requirements at the host institution and the formal criteria by DAAD. A detailed report consisting of the shortlisting procedure, the ranked shortlist and the shortlisting panel members will also be availed to DAAD. The ranked shortlist will contain preferably triple (at least double) the number of scholarships that have been attributed to the institution.

In a final selection, the applications ranked by the institution in the pre-selection will be assessed by an independent selection committee (international university professors and experts from German and foreign universities and alumni). The independent selection committee evaluates the applications on the basis of the submitted documents and in consideration of the pre-selection ranking of the institution. Areas evaluated include academic performance and quality, extracurricular activities, motivation, and relevance of the research topic (if applicable).

DAAD reserves the right of final selection.

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION
Applications for the DAAD scholarship must be submitted via the DAAD portal

Applications submitted through other channels or to other authorities will not be considered.

The DAAD portal closes at 24.00 hrs. Central European Time (CET or CEST) on the last application day.

Deadline: 9 April 2024

QUERIES
Enquiries related to the DAAD Scholarship
DAAD Contact Person: Hellen Sahlmann (sahlmann@daad.de)
Website: https://www.daad.de/incountry-inregion

Enquiries related to the general admission and the study programme
African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town
Contact Person: Dr. Anna Selmeczi (anna.selmeczi@uct.ac.za)

For more details, visit OFFICIAL LINK