AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation Research Grant Program

The African-German Network of Excellence in Science (AGNES) announces the 2026 call for applications for the AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation Research Grant focused on biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. Funded by the BAYER Foundation and supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH), the grant supports junior researchers (PhD students) to carry out doctoral research activities. The application deadline is 16 October 2026 at 23:59 GMT. Opportunity at a Glance

- Opportunity name: 2026 AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation Research Grant

- Focus areas: Biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture

- Provider/Funder: AGNES (call for applications); funded by BAYER Foundation, supported by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) (Federal Republic of Germany)

- Applicant type: Junior researchers—PhD students (doctoral candidates currently enrolled)

- Grant size: Maximum EUR 7,000 per successful applicant (once-off grant)

- Eligible geography: Sub-Saharan Africa (any sub-Saharan African country for the proposed doctoral research activities)

- Application deadline: 16 October 2026 at 23:59 GMT

- Research start window: No earlier than 11 January 2027 and no later than 31 March 2027

- Selection meeting: December 2026

- Language requirement: All applications MUST be submitted in English (as stated in the call)

About the Opportunity

AGNES is running this call to strengthen the scientific capacity of young scholars in Africa. The AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation Research Grant enables doctoral students from sub-Saharan African countries to undertake research activities aligned with biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture. The grant supports African PhD students to implement activities that form part of their doctoral research. These activities may include, among other possibilities, field experiments and data collection or laboratory studies, as long as they fall within the call’s focus areas. Funding and Benefits

- Maximum grant amount: EUR 7,000 (maximum per successful applicant)

- Payment type: Once-off grant

- Use restriction: The grant cannot be used to refund previous field work activities

- Acceptance requirement: The grant recipient and their supervisor must both send a signed letter of acceptance and contractual agreement to the AGNES Governing Board within two weeks of receipt of the offer - Reporting expectations: Upon completion of the PhD, grantees and supervisors are expected to report to AGNES on progress and success (including scientific publications) according to AGNES reporting guidelines and the prescribed reporting format. The report must be submitted not later than 6 months after the date of PhD completion. Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants:

- Junior researchers (PhD students) who are: - Officially registered for a Doctoral degree at a university/tertiary institute in sub-Saharan Africa - Nationals of a sub-Saharan African country - Working in biodiversity conservation and/or sustainable agriculture

Publication requirement (minimum):

- Direct applications from young researchers who have published at least 1 scientific paper in a non-predatory journal may be considered. - AGNES will consider candidates with outstanding academic records and good publications in peer-reviewed international journals indexed in SCOPUS or Web of Science (WoS).

Publication evidence requirement:

- Applicants MUST provide SCOPUS or Web of Science links (URL) to each publication.

Proposal relevance requirement:

- Applicants must clearly demonstrate that their original proposal is relevant to development in sub-Saharan African countries.

Not eligible (as stated):

- Completed PhD work will not be considered. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas This research grant supports doctoral research activities in the following areas: - Biodiversity conservation - Sustainable agriculture Doctoral research activities can include (examples given in the call): - Field experiments and data collection - Laboratory studies - Other outstanding research activities in biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture Why This Opportunity Matters This grant is designed for PhD students in sub-Saharan Africa who are already working on biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture and want support for doctoral research activities carried out in their research plan. It also emphasizes accountability through formal acceptance/contractual steps and structured reporting after PhD completion. The call also foregrounds research credibility by requiring at least one non-predatory publication with outlets indexed in SCOPUS or Web of Science, along with publication links. How to Apply - Prepare your application documents according to the call’s required items (see below). - Complete the online application form using the official submission link: - Submit via the AGNES online form: https://forms.gle/4Z6aEBaSW9hcYB4S8

- Submit before the deadline: 16 October 2026 at 23:59 GMT.

Required documents (maximum size guidance: 20Mb): - (a) A short original research/project proposal (maximum 5 pages, English) including: - a short outline of proposed work activities - a schedule for achieving objectives

- Note: proposals will be processed through a plagiarism test

- (b) A standard CV of the applicant using the AGNES template (in English)

- CV template: Download 2026 AGNES-BAYER CV-Template (link text provided in the source; the actual URL is not specified in the article text)

- (c) Official proof of registration for the doctoral degree (only currently enrolled doctoral students are eligible) - (d) Copies of official academic transcripts for undergraduate and any postgraduate study - Include an English explanation of the grading system if transcripts are not in English - (e) A list of published articles in non-predatory journals including SCOPUS or Web of Science links (URL) for each publication - Include an e-copy of the first page showing title, authors, and abstract - Bo