ICGEB Bioinoculants SMART Fellowships 2026

With the funding of the ?Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation?under the Programme?‘Bioinoculants for Food Security in Africa (B-INOC AFRICA)’, which focuses on?applied high-impact science?in agri-food, the ICGEB offers SMART Fellowships at selected laboratories. Proposals must clearly demonstrate how the research will contribute to food safety and security or benefit the agricultural sector, supported by a solid basis of preliminary data.

• Table of Content
• About International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)
• ICGEB Fellowship
• Aim and Benefits of ICGEB Fellowship
• Requirements for ICGEB Fellowship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for ICGEB Fellowship
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

ICGEB Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of ICGEB Fellowship

• Awards are for a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 9 months.
• The fellowship covers international economy return travel, health insurance plus subsistence of the fellow only.
• The stipend for PhD fellowships is USD 1,500 (one thousand five hundred) per month, while the stipend for Postdoctoral fellowships is USD 2,000 (two thousand). Additionally, a USD 500 monthly bench fee can be paid directly to the receiving laboratory based on the recommendation of the ICGEB Fellowships Committee.
• The fellowship stipend will be paid by bank transfer directly to the fellow’s bank account. Upon joining the receiving laboratory, ICGEB will transfer the bench fee allocation to the receiving laboratory, which will be responsible for the management of the funds and the certification of expenditures to ICGEB.
• The receiving laboratory is expected ensure that adequate provisions are in place for the specific research project and to make the bench fee allocation available to the ICGEB SMART Fellow immediately, free from any administrative overhead costs. ICGEB makes no financial provision, nor can it provide administrative support for family members of participants in the programme.

Requirements for ICGEB Fellowship Qualification

• The call is open to Researchers of the following nationalities: Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea (Guinea-Conakry), Ivory Coast, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda (Researchers from other ICGEB Member States are exceptionally eligible).
• There is no age limit. However, preference is given to young scientists at the beginning of their research career. Applicants should be either registered for a PhD or have obtained their PhD degree within the last 5 years and be actively working in a research Institution or company active in research and development. Young scientists holding an MSc or equivalent can apply.
• Awards are not intended to prolong visits begun under other auspices; to support participation in courses, workshops or symposia or as bridging fellowships between, or prior to, long term stays funded by ICGEB or other organizations.
• Eligible topics are: bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides, bio-inoculants for food production and microbiome-based products and solutions that impact in a significant and practical way the agricultural and food value chains.

Interview date, Process and Venue for ICGEB Fellowship

• The ICGEB Fellowships Selection Committee will evaluate complete applications received by the closing date. Both successful and unsuccessful candidates will be notified of the outcome by e-mail only. Please note that the selection might take several weeks according to the number of applications received.
• Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to provide individual feedback to all applicants at the end of the selection process.
• The main criteria for selection include the scientific excellence of the project, the qualities of the candidate’s CV and the potential benefit for the home country.
• ICGEB will positively value any additional support provided by the receiving institute to the fellow’s living expenses (i.e. a direct contribution for living expenses, guest house accommodation, etc.).

Final report

• Successful candidate will jointly prepare a final scientific report with the host supervisor highlighting the achievements attained during the period of the Fellowship. The host Institute will submit a signed financial statement reporting the expenditure covered by the bench fee allowance received.

Documents Required for Application

Please note that you will be requested to upload the following documents (pdf files):

• Your full CV
• The full CV of the Head of the Receiving Laboratory (complete with list of publications)
• A valid identification document (passport or identity card)

Check also:
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC 2027
Chevening Scholarship 2027

Application Deadline

How to Apply

• The programme promotes the mobility of researchers from a list of eligible countries (see below) and, exceptionally, from other ICGEB Member States to conduct research in laboratories where the Principal Investigator has been awarded a Bioinoculants research grant by ICGEB.
• Mobility is intended to foster skill development, provide hands-on training in technologies available at the host laboratory, and strengthen bilateral cooperation. Proposals should demonstrate clear evidence of strong collaboration between the two laboratories. 
• Applicants should focus on the impact for the fellow’s career, the benefit to the applicant’s home laboratory and the suitability of the receiving laboratory. Applicants should contact the Host Laboratory prior to submitting the application (see list above) and ensure that the proposal content is aligned with the Host Laboratory capacity.
• Click here to view the list of host laboratories.

For more information, kindly visit ICGEB fellowship webpage.