African Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Program 2018 to Study in Canada

Deadline: October 13, 2017

Applications are open for the 2018 African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program. 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 has two components:

• An academic component in which 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 in which the 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 Scholarship includes:

• Return airfare (at the beginning and at the end of the program)
• Tuition fees
• Monthly living allowances and settling-in allowance
• Fixed allowance to cover purchase of books and attend conferences in Canada
• Health insurance coverage
• Fees for study permit

Eligibility

• Applicants must 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%];
• 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;
• Meet the language requirements in French and/or English at the university where you will study;
• Meet all the academic and admission requirements of the study program of choice.

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.

Application

• Complete the Preliminary Inquiry Questionnaire. You will need to provide information about your GPA from your undergraduate degree and any post-graduate programs (if applicable);
• Only eligible applicants will receive an email containing an Access Code and Password and instructions on how to submit a full application;
• 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).

For more information, visit African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program.