NO CALL CURRENTLY (until September 2025)
IFRA-Nairobi invites applications for fieldwork grants aimed to support Masters, PhD and postdoc students who conduct research in the social sciences and humanities in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, and Eastern Congo). IFRA prioritizes support to the following research themes:
- Elections, Governance in East Africa
- Workers, Labour and Employment
- Refugees and the Humanitarian Governance
- Music, Art, Culture, and Heritage
- Decolonizing African Studies: Thinkers, Practitioners and Practices
- Gender and LGBT in Words and in Practice
- African Socialism, Pan-Africanism, and (Sub-)National Imaginaries
- The African City: Urban Inequality, Social (In-)Justice, and Slum Politics
Beyond these priority research themes, grants may be given to non-priority project proposals when considered academically relevant. There is no condition of nationality.
Kindly send your application to info@ifra-nairobi.net.
Applications can be submitted in English or French and include the following documents:
- A cover letter (in PDF) of about 2 pages including a summary of the project in 15-20 lines and explaining your profile, why you need financial support, and if you already have support from other institutions and for how much;
- A detailed curriculum vitae (in PDF), including relevant publications;
- A research project proposal (in PDF) of maximum 5 pages that includes information about the methodology that will be used and details about the fieldwork location and research planning.
Additional information:
- About the grant: Grants offered usually range from 400 to 1,200 euros. They are not subject to taxes, and do not open rights to social security. They are awarded as contributions towards actual research costs and do not include stipends for applicants;
- Conditions of support: It is mandatory to be registered and/or attached to a university or research unit as well as to mention other sources of funding;
- Deliverables: Beneficiaries will be requested to provide a working paper or an academic article that might be published through IFRA after peer-review. They might also be offered the opportunity to present the results of their work in a seminar or conference;
- Advice to applicants: IFRA’s research funding is competitive as we receive more applications than what we can fund. Your application must state in a clear and compelling way its relevance and interest for research in East Africa and its possible contribution to IFRA’s mission.