PASET RSIF PhD Scholarship for Sub-Saharan Africans: Current Status
- Country
- Sub-Saharan Africa (varies by call)
- Institution
- Selected African Host Universities with international partners
- Value
- Full scholarship when a call is active — tuition, stipend, travel and insurance (per the last call)
- Level
- phd
- Eligibility
- International Students
- Field
- Applied Sciences, Engineering, Technology
About
Quick answer: The Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) — the flagship of the African-led PASET initiative — funds 3–4 year PhDs in applied sciences, engineering and technology at selected African host universities, including a 6–12 month “sandwich” placement at an international partner. Citizens of any sub-Saharan African country, including Nigeria, are eligible when a call is open.
As of August 2026, no new application call is open. The most recent intake (the Sixth Call) closed on 16 September 2024 — and note it reserved 16 of its 20 slots for Kenyan nationals, a quota that changes with each call’s funders. The RSIF website still shows the old call marked “open”; that is stale content, not a live window. Watch rsif-paset.org (or the apply.rsif-paset.org portal) for a Seventh Call.
Eligibility
- Citizen of a sub-Saharan African country — Nigerians apply directly on the RSIF portal, no nominating agency.
- Master’s degree in an RSIF priority field (applied sciences, engineering, technology).
- Aged 35 or below (per the last call’s terms).
- Priority for women and for early-career university staff without a PhD.
- Country quotas vary per call — check the call text when one opens.
Additional Information
What to do now: prepare your Master’s documents and a research concept in an RSIF thematic area, and register on apply.rsif-paset.org so you can apply quickly when a new call opens. Application is free — treat any “RSIF agent” asking for money as a scam.