Africa Research Excellence Fund Grant Writing Skill Programme 2026

AREF is calling for applications from scientists who are active, emerging biomedical/health researchers in African countries to participate in its Essential Grant Writing Skills Programme.  

AREF welcomes applications for this Programme from researchers who are actively working on challenges to human health and are trained and experienced in one or more of the following disciplines: biomedicine; physiology and pharmacology; clinical sciences; epidemiology; mathematics and statistics; environmental health; “one health” (veterinary science); behavioural, mental health, public health, data science for health, social and economic sciences; and health policy and systems research.

This fully on-line programme will be held during the weeks of June and July 2026.  There will be an eight-week break in between the two-part programme, where you will be expected to write a mini proposal and participate in an activity to review the proposals of your colleagues.  This is an intensive programme that is designed to produce tangible progress towards a grant proposal by the end of the programme series. Your commitment to the entire series and to the additional work outside of sessions will be necessary to achieve these outcomes.

To fully benefit from this programme series, you will be at a stage in your research career where you are actively seeking independent funding, and perhaps have won smaller grants, but have yet to secure that big grant necessary to support your research independence.

• Table of Content
• About Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF)
• AREF Grant Writing Skill Programme
• Aim and Benefits of AREF Grant Writing Skill Programme
• Requirements for AREF Grant Writing Skill Programme Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for AREF Grant Writing Skill Programme
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF)

The Africa Research Excellence Fund aims to improve the quality and impact of health research in Africa by nurturing talented, emerging researchers to do the best health research in Africa, for Africa. We want to grow the community of African researchers who lead and partner excellent, collaborative health research that benefits patients, populations, policy makers and practitioners throughout the region and globally. You can be part of our vision and help us achieve it. Please read more about our programmes and how you can get involved:... continue reading

AREF Grant Writing Skill Programme

Aim and Benefits of AREF Grant Writing Skill Programme

What the Programme will cover

1. Developing and expressing your unique research niche
2. Formulating your compelling research question
3. Understanding funders’ requirements
4. Writing in plain English
5. Writing the different sections of a proposal
6. Key parts of a typical Case for Support / Project Description
7. Planning your proposal project plan and budget
8. Principles of managing your collaboration and team
9. Understanding and practicing peer review 
10. Preparing for a Fellowship interview.

Requirements for AREF Grant Writing Skill Programme Qualification

To be eligible, you need to provide evidence that:

• You are a citizen of a country in Africa
• You are in the early stages of your research career

EITHER 

• you have been awarded a research doctorate (PhD/DPhil/MD) from a recognised academic institution normally within the previous 6 years, (i.e. awarded on or after 1 January 2020);
  • OR you have a medical/clinical qualification PLUS a research-relevant Master’s degree, both awarded normally within the previous 6 years (i.e. awarded on or after 1 January 2020). 
• You are currently employed in Africa by a recognised university and/or specialist research institution. 
• You have not participated already in equivalent proposal development / grant-writing training.
• A significant part of your current employee role is to develop and conduct health research.
• You do not already have a significant portfolio of international research grants (Combined value of £250,000 or more). 

Interview date, Process and Venue for AREF Grant Writing Skill Programme

Through your application, you will need to demonstrate that you are at a stage of your research career where this intensive training will support your future success as a researcher and you are highly likely to apply your learning to winning research funding. 

Your application will be assessed in terms of your capacity to benefit from the training, using the following kinds of evidence:

1. Your research experience, outputs and other achievements as an emerging researcher up to now.
2. How you will use the training to achieve your personal vision for your development as a scientist who can address key health challenges important to Africa.
3. How you will “cascade”, i.e. to pass on, the knowledge and skills you have gained from the programme
4. Adequate command of English.

Programme participants will be shortlisted from the eligible applicants using these criteria.  Only applicants who meet the capacity to benefit criteria will be on the shortlist from which the final selection will be made

Format of the Programme series

The Programme series will be held as

• Monday 1st June to Friday 5th June 2026: daily 3-hour on-line sessions, 08:30 – 11:30 GMT
•  Wednesday 29th to Friday 31st July 2026: daily sessions 3-hour on-line sessions, 08:30 – 11:30 GMT
• See the table below for the corresponding time in other zones

Participants will be provided with appropriate learning materials including preparatory exercises before the first session and between sessions.  Each session will be delivered through Zoom.  Participants will work in on-line groups and offline subgroups. All sessions will be conducted in English.

Expectations from participants

You MUST

• Commit to all on-line sessions for the full duration of each session. Attendance to all sessions is mandatory. Participants will not receive a certificate of completion otherwise.
• Participate in all sessions. These sessions are interactive and will require your active participation. You gain the best when you fully participate in all activities and exercises.
• Commit approximately an additional hour each day to prepare for each session through reading and pre-work assignments/reflections. 
• Dedicate significant time during the six-week period in between programme sessions to write a draft of your own research proposal, which will then be utilised in the final three sessions. 

You SHOULD

• have access to good bandwidth and a computer or laptop that is set up to use the Zoom platform (IT department may control your ability to use online platforms)
• be able to use a smart phone simultaneously with the Zoom platform.

Check also:
Commonwealth Master's Scholarship to Study in UK 2027/2028
Wageningen University Masters Scholarship to Study in Netherlands 2027/2028

Application Deadline

How to Apply

To apply, please go to AREF portal (https://programmes.aref-africa.org.uk/) to access the application Form on our portal and complete the application form as directed. You must register an account on the portal before you can access the application form.

You can also find additional information in the Online Application Form Guidance and the FAQs guide to help you to complete the application form.

For more details, visit Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) webpage