Eligibility 

Who can apply for an APN IRF?

• Applications are open to all eligible applicants. Historically marginalized persons and communities are strongly encouraged to apply, including women, Indigenous people, gender diverse, LGBTQIA+, persons with disabilities, among others. 
• Please refer to the APN and Next Gen Application Guidebook for more details on eligibility requirements. 

Can I apply as part of a research group/team?

• No. The APN Individual Research Fellowship competition is only eligible to proposals from individual applicants.

Is there an age limit?

• No. However, applications will be considered based on personal experience. Preference will be given to early- to mid-career academics, as well as experienced practitioners and policy analysts. Please refer to the APN and Next Gen Application Guidebook for more information on eligibility requirements.

Am I eligible if I do not hold a PhD?

• Applicants applying as academics must hold a PhD at the time of application, obtained no earlier than January 2015. Applicants who have not been awarded their PhDs by June 2025 will not have their cases prioritized to be eligible as academics.
• Practitioner and policy analyst applicants may apply with a master’s degree obtained prior to January 2020, in addition to a minimum of five years of proven work experience, preferably in the area of peacebuilding.

I am an African citizen, but I currently hold a faculty position at a university or research organization outside of Africa. Am I still eligible?

• No. Academic applicants must hold faculty positions at universities/research organizations in Africa. Practitioner and policy analyst applicants must be based at an institution or regional/national organization in Africa.

I am a researcher based outside of Africa, but currently work with a partner at a university in an African country. Are we eligible to apply as a team?

• No. You are not eligible to apply as part of a team and the applicant must have a permanent position in an African organization.

I have full-time employment in Africa, but I am temporarily stationed outside of the continent. Am I eligible to apply?

• Yes. However, you must submit a letter of employment from your employer in Africa as proof of your stationing via the online application portal. In addition, please note that you are expected to be resident in an African country for the entire duration of the fellowship.

Will the program support outside scholarships or enrollment in a degree-awarding program at a university?

• No. APN IRF supports only research selected for the award, including fieldwork and related networking activities.

What disciplines are eligible?

• APN IRF is open to researchers from all disciplines and fields. However, successful proposals will demonstrate a solid grasp of social science literature, tools, and research methodologies, and be focused on an issue related to African peacebuilding.

What themes or topics are more likely to be successful?

• All themes and topics related to peacebuilding in Africa are welcome. However, you are advised to take a look at the list of suggested thematic priorities for APN IRF in the APN and Next Gen Application Guidebook. Applicants are advised not to replicate projects that have been supported in the past, over-researched or already published elsewhere. Original and innovative topics are more likely to be successful.

I have applied for an APN research fellowship in the past but was unsuccessful. Am I still eligible to apply?

• Yes. If you have applied for an APN fellowship in the past and were NOT accepted, you may apply if you meet all eligibility requirements. You must indicate on your application that you have previously applied and the year(s) of application. The APN strongly encourages those who have not received an APN award to apply again. Please use feedback from reviewers’ comments on your previous application(s) as a guide in preparing your current application/proposal.

I am a former APN fellowship award recipient. Am I still eligible to apply?

• Yes. However, preference will be given to those who are not former recipients of the award.

Application Process

Should all application materials be submitted at once?

• Yes. All required application materials including the application form, research proposal and bibliography, CV, proposed research timeline, and proposed research budget must be submitted at the same time in the OpenWater application. You may continue to revisit your application draft as much as you like before submitting the final application by the deadline. Reference letters and language evaluation(s) may be submitted separately, but are required before the deadline.

Do you have samples of previous proposals that have been awarded fellowships/grants?

• No. Applicants can, however, visit our website to see the list of our 2024 APN and Next Gen Fellows, including biographies and project titles. 

Application Components

Can photographs, charts, and graphs be included in the research proposal?

• Yes, but these must fit within the seven (7) and eleven (11) pages allowed for the entire proposal.

Do I need to submit academic transcripts with my application?

• No, academic transcripts are not required for your application. The application will request a photocopy of the applicant’s relevant university degree.

Awarding of Fellowships

What do I do if my application is selected for an APN Individual Research Fellowship?

• Once a nominee has been notified and accepted the offer, the following documents are required to finalize award processing:

1. An official letter from the applicant’s home institution or organization indicating the acceptance of the terms of the fellowship award and support for the applicant’s research project, which must be written on institutional stationery, signed and dated by the relevant head of administration;
2. A scanned copy of the applicant’s highest university degree;
3. A signed statement by the fellow declaring that all fellowship research will be completed within the time stipulated and that the funding will be used only for research activities proposed in the fellowship award application; and,
4. A scanned copy of the biodata page of the applicant’s passport.

Once these documents have been received and approved by the program, an award letter will be sent confirming the fellowship award status.

Please note that all selected applicants will be required to submit a detailed budget indicating the funds necessary to complete the proposed research, which is taken into consideration in determining the final fellowship award amount.

You will also be asked to confirm your availability to attend two workshops in July and January 2025.

When can I begin my research, if my proposal is selected for funding?

• Fellows are expected to commence their research projects no later than July 2025 and finish by March 2026. 

What do APN Individual Research Fellowships NOT cover?

• Fellowship awards do not cover university overhead, individual or institutional contributions, salary support, social security, or other insurance programs. They cannot be used for payment on loans, mortgages, other personal indebtedness, or the storage of personal or household effects. Other excluded expenses will be conveyed to fellows during the final budget proposal and review process.

Does the APN offer administrative support for travel visas and research clearance?

• No. While APN IRF covers visa costs, fellows are responsible for obtaining their own visas, official documentation, and research clearances. Fellows will be responsible for consulting an Institutional Review Board (IRB) on their own and having their proposed research approved before any involvement of human subjects may begin.

If I receive an APN Individual Research Fellowship, is it compulsory that I attend the two Fellows’ workshops?

• Yes. Attendance at the two APN and Next Gen training workshops, for which you will be asked to prepare specific materials and presentations linked to your research, is mandatory. Failure to attend can lead to the termination of your award. These will take place in July and January 2025. By applying you understand that, if selected, your presence and participation in both workshops will be required.

Do I have to pay my way to attend and participate in the workshops?

• No. The APN and Next Gen Program will make all necessary arrangements and cover your travel, accommodation, meals, and other expenses related to the workshop attendance. These need not be included in the project budgets. In special circumstances, fellows will be reimbursed for the full costs of independently arranged travel. In the event that the workshop is held virtually, fellows who require special accommodation with access to good internet facilities will be reimbursed for the full costs of such arrangements.

What kinds of outputs or products are expected from APN fellows at the conclusion of their projects?

• Research outputs and products may include, but are not limited to books, policy briefs, articles/essays, working papers, blogs and feature or op-ed articles, and/or podcasts. 

Do Individual Research Fellowships go directly to fellows or are they channeled through the recipient’s university or organization?

• APN Individual Research Fellowships are paid directly to the fellows in three separate installments, pending submission and approval of required progress reports at the beginning, in the middle, and towards the end of the project. In addition to the Interim and Final progress reports, fellows are expected to submit a draft publication before the second workshop in January 2025.

I am currently applying for several research fellowships. If I am awarded an APN Individual Research Fellowship, can I also accept funding from other sources?

• Yes. However, please note that no awardee may hold two concurrent SSRC fellowships/grants at the same time. Should you receive two different SSRC fellowships/grants simultaneously, you will be asked to forego one of your own choosing. Past or current beneficiaries of an SSRC fellowship may apply for an APN fellowship only if their current award will be completed by the time the next APN fellowship commences in July 2025.