Beit Trust Masters and PhD Scholarships 2021 for African Students

23/11/2020Last Updated: 23/11/2020

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The Beit Trust is offering a number of Postgraduate scholarships for research and studies abroad to scholars from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Application Deadline: Varies within universities. The absolute deadline for applications to reach the Trust is 12th February 2021,

Eligible Countries: Malawi, Zambia or Zimbabwe

To be taken at (country): United Kingdom or South Africa

Eligible Field of Study: A subject of the individual’s choice appropriate to the needs of the beneficial area

About the Award: The next round of Beit Scholarships will be awarded for the academic year beginning September 2021 for universities in the UK; and January 2022 for universities in South Africa. Scholarships for the academic year beginning September 2020 (UK) and January 2021 (SA) have already been awarded.

The Beit Trust offers annually a number of Postgraduate Masters or PhD Scholarships abroad for studies or research to graduates who are domiciled in (the beneficial area).

Type: Masters,

Eligibility: The process for applying for a Beit Scholarship is as follows:

Only nationals of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi, who are also resident in and intend to return to those countries, are eligible to apply;
Applications should be for a one-year taught Master’s Degree (to UK universities); and a two-year taught Master’s in South Africa;
Applications should be made directly to the partner universities listed above, and only to those universities, via their websites and in the period beginning September 2020 (although some application windows do not open until October. Their websites will guide you);
As long as the courses you wish to pursue are available, you may apply to more than one partner university at a time. Indeed, we recommend you do so, to increase your chances of acceptance, and to broaden the scholarship opportunities available;
Once you have an offer from your chosen partner university, you should apply as early as possible to The Beit Trust for a scholarship. When the new application window opens, there will be a linked application form here;
The Trust will then sift and shortlist the most qualified, for interview by our national selection boards in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Resources are limited and the scholarship process competitive. Not all those interviewed will necessarily be selected for a Scholarship. But an interview is essential to selection;
The Trust will notify those selected for interview of the date, time and place;
The Trust will give particular weight to those who have work or other professional experience; have demonstrated a capacity to become leaders in their field; are reading for a degree of direct and practical relevance to the development of their country; and whose stated intention is to return to their country at the completion of their degree.

Selection Criteria:

Prospective applicants must hold at least a degree of class 2.1, i.e. Merit or Distinction.
Only those applicants who state that they intend to return to work in the relevant country upon completion of the scholarship, and who can, if short-listed, present themselves for interview before a Beit Postgraduate Scholarship Selection Board in Harare, Blantyre or Lusaka at the beginning of December, will be considered.
The selectors favour practical and useful disciplines that are likely to offer a clear benefit to the beneficial area.
Because of their high cost, MBAs and PhDs are very seldom awarded in the UK, but a taught MBA at an established university in South Africa is acceptable.

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of Scholarship:

Fees and costs of tuition and related academic expenses are paid by the Trust direct to the universities.
Payment of a personal allowance, index linked in accordance with guidance from an independent authority covering maintenance support.
Other allowances are paid for arrival, a laptop and printing of a thesis, and return home.
Economy Class air passages are provided by the Trust for the initial journey to the place of study, and for the return at the end of the course.
No allowances are paid for spouses or other family members.

Duration of Scholarship: Duration of 1 year in UK, and 2 yrs in SA,

How to Apply: Applications are now open electronically, online and not via email.

Please ensure you have all the documents below ready to upload electronically. Once you start the application process, you must complete it, as you will not be able to save answers and return to it later. You will, however, be able to scroll through the form before you begin to fill it in.