Mastercard Foundation Center for African Studies Visiting Fellowships 2026 at University of California, Berkeley

The Center for African Studies, with the support of the Mastercard Foundation, is pleased to announce two Visiting Fellowships to be hosted at the University of California, Berkeley. Eligible applicants must be residents of an African country and currently hold an academic/research position at an African university, or affiliated to a research institution, think tank, or Non-Government Organization. The purpose of the Fellowship is to provide Fellows with the opportunity to pursue independent research, complete a major article or book, foster academic ties with existing UC Berkeley faculty, and enrich the life of the Center by mentoring Mastercard Foundation Scholars during their stay. (Read more here(link is external) on Mastercard Foundation Scholars). The Fellowship is one semester (four months) in duration, commences no later than Tuesday 20 January 2026, and is non-renewable.

• Table of Content
• About MasterCard Foundation
• Center for African Studies Visiting Fellowships
• Aim and Benefits of Center for African Studies Visiting Fellowships
• Requirements for Center for African Studies Visiting Fellowships Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

Center for African Studies Visiting Fellowships

Aim and Benefits of Center for African Studies Visiting Fellowships

The Visiting Fellowship offers substantial support for Fellows, including:

• Travel: Return (economy class) airfare to Berkeley, California
• Accommodation: accommodation at UC Berkeley’s International House(link is external)
• Financial Support: A subsistence allowance to cover everyday living costs.
• Office Space: Desk space and access to a computer at the Center for African Studies
• Access to Resources: Fellows-in-Residence will have full access to UC Berkeley’s world-renowned libraries, collections, and online resources, as well as its extraordinary intellectual community.
• Academic Events: Access to seminars and events organized by the Center for African Studies and all departments on campus.

Requirements for Center for African Studies Visiting Fellowships Qualification

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Reside in an African country, and affiliated with an African institution (University, Think Tank, or Non-Governmental Organization).
• Be in possession of a PhD at the time of application.
• Have demonstrated potential to contribute meaningfully to their field of study.
• Although the field of study is not restricted to the following areas of research, preference will be given to projects that focus on issues of youth, labor, livelihoods, mobility, displacement, technology, democracy, futures among others.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

All candidates are requested to submit a CV, and a research proposal not exceeding 2 pages (excluding references) in length to [email protected](link sends e-mail). The deadline for submissions is September 5th, 2025.

For more details, visit University of California, Berkeley Fellowship webpage