2026 AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grants for Junior Researchers

Deadline: 16-Oct-2026

The AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grant supports doctoral candidates from sub-Saharan Africa to undertake one- to two-month research stays at universities or research institutes in another sub-Saharan African country. Grants provide up to EUR 3,000 for a two-month stay and support travel, subsistence, research activities, and host-institution costs while helping doctoral researchers strengthen scientific networks and advance their thesis work. The AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grant is designed to support doctoral candidates from sub-Saharan Africa who need to undertake short-term research at an institution in another sub-Saharan African country. The programme promotes scientific collaboration between emerging scholars and experienced researchers. It also helps doctoral candidates gain access to international research networks, specialized resources, and research expertise that may not be available at their home institutions. The research stay must contribute directly to the applicant’s doctoral research. The grant enables doctoral researchers to spend one to two months at an eligible host university or research institute in another sub-Saharan African country.

Research activities can include:

Applicants must demonstrate why the proposed research stay is necessary and provide evidence that the planned work cannot be adequately conducted in their country of residence. The maximum grant depends on the duration of the research stay: The grant is intended to provide comprehensive financial support for the short-term research visit, including travel, subsistence, and a research allowance for the host institution. A portion of the total grant is allocated to the host institution through bench fees.

The applicable monthly bench fee is:

These bench fees are deducted from the applicant’s total grant amount and contribute toward costs incurred by the host institution. Applicants must meet the programme’s eligibility requirements.

Eligible candidates must:

The mobility period must last between one and two months. The host institution must be located in another sub-Saharan African country from the applicant’s country of registration or residence. The proposed activities should have a clear connection to the applicant’s doctoral research and should produce meaningful progress toward the completion of the thesis. Applicants should therefore explain exactly what they intend to accomplish during the mobility period. Applicants must identify a scientific host before applying. The host researcher and applicant should agree on: A clearly defined collaboration demonstrates that the proposed mobility is academically necessary and feasible. Applicants must have published at least one article resulting from their thesis work.

The article must:

This requirement demonstrates an existing level of research activity and academic engagement. Both male and female doctoral candidates are eligible to apply for the general AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grant. In addition, a special grant is available exclusively for female candidates. Applicants should check the applicable call requirements to determine which grant category they qualify for. Short-term research mobility can provide doctoral candidates with access to expertise, facilities, academic networks, and research resources that may not be available at their home institutions.

The programme is designed to strengthen:

The programme also emphasizes research that can contribute to the development priorities of applicants’ home countries. Applicants should clearly demonstrate why the proposed research stay is necessary for their doctoral work.

A strong application should:

Applicants should also make sure that the research proposal and work plan have been discussed and agreed upon with the scientific host before submission. It is a mobility grant that enables doctoral candidates from sub-Saharan Africa to undertake short-term research stays at universities or research institutes in another sub-Saharan African country. The maximum grant is EUR 2,300 for one month, EUR 2,650 for one and a half months, and EUR 3,000 for two months. The stay can support activities such as laboratory studies, bench work, use of library resources, and thesis writing, provided the activities contribute directly to the applicant’s doctoral research. Applicants must be nationals of a sub-Saharan African country and be officially registered for a doctoral degree at a university or tertiary institute in sub-Saharan Africa. They must also meet the publication, host, research relevance, and other programme requirements. Yes. Applicants must have an identified scientific host and agree with the host on the research proposal and work schedule before applying. Yes. Applicants must have at least one article from their thesis work published in a non-predatory journal indexed by SCOPUS or Web of Science. Yes. Female candidates can apply for the general mobility grant, and a special grant is also available exclusively for female candidates. The AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grant provides doctoral candidates from sub-Saharan Africa with financial support to undertake one- to two-month research stays at institutions in other African countries. With grants of up to EUR 3,000, the programme helps researchers access specialized facilities and expertise, strengthen scientific collaborations, advance their doctoral research, and build professional networks that can contribute to research and development in their home countries. For more information, visit AGNES.