Mo Ibrahim Foundation

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is an African foundation, established in 2006 with the focus on the importance, definition, assessment and enhancement of governance and leadership in Africa. The focus is achieved through four initiatives: governance index, leadership prize, governance weekend and leadership fellowships.

It was founded by Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese billionaire businessman and philanthropist, who founded the Celtel International in 1998, a telecommunication company. The foundation secretariat is based in London.

Scholarships Offered by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation (MIF)       

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation scholarships were established in 2007 to support aspiring African students at some exceptional academic institution. The below listed scholarships are the only available scholarships by the foundation and are meant for African students only.

1. School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)

The scholarships are offered on the Governance for Development in Africa Initiative, a programme that studies the political, legal and socio-economic links between governance and development. The available scholarships are two PhD scholarships per year in the field of Governance for Development in Africa.

Benefits of the scholarship

• The scholarship provides full tuition fees for three years and an annual bursary of £16,000 per year.
• The scholarship also covers visa costs, HIS and TB, provided receipts are submitted to the Centre for African Studies (CAS) office.

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to be considered for funding, an unconditional offer for study must have been granted to the applicant at the university. Only complete applications must be considered.
• The assessment of the application is based on the information provided in the scholarship application.
• The applicant must be a national or resident of an African country.
• Research undertaken by the scholarship applicants must directly address or be applicable to the issue of governance in Africa.
• The applicant must meet the English language requirements.

2. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship Courses for the PhD Programme

• Department for Financial and Management Studies
• Law
• Economics
• International Relations
• International Studies

How to Apply

• Complete the online application form providing the following:

1. A copy of the unconditional offer received at the SOAS admission office.
2. Your CV.
3. A 1000-word statement outlining knowledge and interest in governance-related issues.
4. Your research proposals.

The board reserves the right not to award any scholarships and will only award them where the applicant meets the basic requirements of the scholarship. The application deadline is 31st March 2020 and candidates are expected to have applied for the PhD study before January 2020.

3. University of Birmingham

One MSc in Governance and State Building (International Development) is offered per year for a two-year programme.

The Governance and State Building programme is one of the specialized streams within the International Development Department (IDD). It combines the theoretical rigor of political economy and the practical experience of development. Issues like accountability, transparency, corruption, political settlement, conflict, participation, human rights, access to justice and democratization. In addition, the department is of great interest to governments, non-governmental organizations and development agencies, as well as, to a growing and vibrant academic community.

Benefits of the Scholarship

• The scholarship includes a six-month internship at the Foundation Secretariat in London, another six-month internship with the International Development Department (IDD).
• Full tuition fees.
• Living allowance (a monthly stipend of £950).
• Airfare to and fro the UK, together with a visa.
• Arrival allowance of £950.

Eligibility Criteria

• A first class honors degree or it’s equivalent from an accredited university.
• For those whose first language is not English, the English language requirement for the university must be met.
• The applicant must be a citizen or resident of any African country, preferably, Sub-Saharan Africa.

Courses offered include

• International Development
• Governance and State Building
• Development Policy and Politics
• Development in Practice
• Conflict and Development
• Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development

London Business School

Each year, one scholarship is awarded to an exceptional candidate with a financial need. It covers the tuition for a full-time MSc programme for the successful student in London Business School.

Benefits of the scholarship

Full tuition fee.

Eligibility Criteria

• Application is open to all successful applicants of the institution
• The applicant must meet the basic English requirement for students whose first language is not English.
• The applicant must be a national or resident of an African country.

How to apply for the M0 Ibrahim Foundation scholarship

• Applications are received online through the university online application portal before the deadline.
• A 500-word statement and CV must be uploaded in addition to the required documents for the scholarship.
• The statement should explain why the applicant is the best candidate for the scholarship, then, sent as an email. The subject of the email should be ‘Mo Ibrahim Scholarship’.