Deadline: November 2, 2015
Applications are open for the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program to study in Canada. The ALT Scholarship Program commemorates the late Nelson Mandela’s commitment to social justice and equity by supporting young African professionals to become leaders in public policy and administration. The ALT Scholarship Program will grant scholarships to young African women and men to pursue a Master’s degree in public administration, public policy or public finances.
About the ALT Scholarship
Scholarships will be awarded based on merit to young professionals from sub-Saharan Africa. The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) in collaboration with The Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) will implement the ALT Scholarship Program with the objective of contributing to a strong and effective public sector in sub-Saharan Africa. Special consideration will be given to equitable representation across the continent and to the advancement of women leaders.
This program is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), and The MasterCard Foundation.
The ALT Scholarship Program has two components:
- An academic component where the recipient of the scholarship will complete a one to two year Master’s level program in public administration, public policy or public finance at a Canadian university;
- A professional development component where the recipient of the scholarship will complete a comprehensive professional development plan which will include the development of a case study focusing on their home country, as well as exposure to Canadian knowledge, innovation and best practices in public administration and policy through mentoring, webinars and networking events.
Scholarship Value
The ALT scholarship includes:
- Return airfare (at the beginning and at the end of the program)
- Tuition fees
- Monthly living allowances and one time installation allowance
- Fixed allowance to cover purchase of books and attend conferences in Canada
- Health insurance coverage
- Fees for study permit
Eligibility
The 2016 Competition is now open for study programs starting in September 2016. Deadline to apply is November 2nd, 2015 at 23:00 GMT.
Candidates must meet all the eligibility requirements:
- Be a citizen and resident of sub-Saharan Africa
- Be between 22 and 35 years old (at the beginning of the study program)
- Have completed an undergraduate university degree (4 years of university) with a minimum average of B (75%)
- Have two to five years of work experience in the public sector, civil society sector or research and academic institutions in Africa
- Be fluent in French or English
- Meet all the academic requirements of the study program of choice
Eligibility restrictions
- Candidates who have obtained Canadian citizenship, who are permanent residents or who have applied for permanent residency in Canada are not eligible.
- Candidates who are already enrolled in a degree or any program of study at a Canadian university are not eligible.
Selection Criteria
Eligible candidates with complete files will be assessed against the following criteria by a national selection committee:
- Academic merit;
- Professional experience;
- Relevance and merit of the case study;
- Recommendation letters;
- Demonstrated leadership capacity; and
- Potential contribution to public administration and public policy upon the candidate’s return to his/her home country.
In awarding the scholarships, considerations will be given to gender equity and equitable representation from across sub-Saharan Africa.
How to Apply
- Candidates are to FIRST communicate with the organisers at [email protected] to find out if they meet the eligibility requirements, and to receive an access code and link to the online application form.
- Candidates are required to fill out an electronic application form and submit the following documents to be eligible:
- A CV or resume
- All official transcripts and diplomas for every university programs completed or in progress (with official translation if the transcripts are not in English or French)
- An abstract for a case study
- A 500 to 750 word letter of intent to explain why they want to study in public administration and how they will use the training upon their return to their country.
- Three reference letters (two academic and one professional). If the candidate is currently employed, one of the support letters should be from their employer.
- A copy or their valid passport or a copy of the application form for a passport if the candidate does not have a valid passport
- A copy of the result of the language test if the candidate has never studied in the language of instruction (TOEFL, Alliance française)
Please note that candidates cannot submit their files in between competition, and that documents sent by email to [email protected] will not be accepted.
For more information, visit CIBE African Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship.
