Deadline: October 14 and December 31, 2016
The African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program is now open for applications. The ALT Scholarship Program commemorates the late Nelson Mandela’s commitment to social justice and equity. It supports young African professionals to become leaders in public policy and administration. The ALT Scholarship Program grants full scholarships based on merit to women and men from sub-Saharan Africa to pursue a Master’s degree in public administration, public policy or public finances in Canada.
The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) manages the ALT Scholarship Program in partnership with the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) and in collaboration with the African Association of Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) and the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA). This program is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada and The MasterCard Foundation.
The Scholarship
The ALT Scholarship Program has two components:
- An academic component: The scholars 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: Scholars will:
- Put together a comprehensive professional development plan;
- Develop a case study focusing on their home country;
- Be mentored by a Canadian expert;
- Participate in webinars and networking events.
The ALT scholarship includes:
- Return airfare (at the beginning and at the end of the program)
- Tuition fees
- Monthly living allowances and installation allowance
- Fixed allowance to cover purchase of books and attend conferences in Canada
- Health insurance coverage
- Fees for study permit
Eligibility
You must meet ALL the requirements to be eligible:
- 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 a university degree meeting the minimum academic requirements for admission into a Master’s degree in Canada (a minimum average of B [75%] – check equivalencies at bottom of this page);
- Have a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years of full-time work experience in the public sector, civil society sector or a research institute in Africa;
- Be fluent in French or English;
- Meet all the academic requirements of the study program of choice.
You are not eligible if:
- You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or you have applied for permanent residency in Canada.
- You are already enrolled in a degree or any program of study at a Canadian university.
- You are currently employed by the Government of Canada.
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
- Review the list of Study Programs in English and French.
- Complete the Initial Questionnaire receive link to application form
- Applicants who receive an Access Code and Password for the online application form will be required to complete the online application form and upload the following documents to the form:
- A CV or resume
- All official transcripts and diplomas for every university program 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 you want to study in public administration and how you will use the training on return to your country
- Three reference letters (two academic and one professional). If you are currently employed, one of the support letters should be from your employer
- A copy of your valid passport or a copy of the application form for a passport if you do not have a valid passport along with a national identity card
- Language test results if you have never studied in the language of instruction at the Canadian university where you want to study (English or French) (g. TOEFL, Alliance française)
Important Dates
- Launch of 2017 Competition – September 9th, 2016
- Deadline to complete the Initial Questionnaire receive link to application form – October 14th, 2016
- Selection process – October 14th to December 31st , 2016
- Pre-selected candidates notified by email – January 2017
- Admission to universities – January to March 2017
- Pre-departure process (visa, accommodation, orientation) – February to July 2017
- All other candidates notified of results – June 2017
- Orientation session in Canada – Mid- August 2017
- Start of study programs – End of August/beginning of September 2017
For more information, visit African Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Program.
