Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) is currently accepting applications for its Essential Grant-Writing Skills Programme 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
About AREF Essential Grant-Writing Skills Programme
The Programme aim is to enable talented early-career health- and health-related researchers from countries in Africa to build skills to develop their own research and fellowship proposals of the quality required to win competitive international, regional and national funding.
Benefits of AREF Essential Grant-Writing Skills Programme
What the Programme will cover
- Developing and expressing your unique research niche
- Formulating your compelling research question
- Understanding funders’ requirements
- Writing in plain English
- Writing the different sections of a proposal
- Key parts of a typical Case for Support / Project Description
- Planning your proposal project plan and budget
- Principles of managing your collaboration and team
- Understanding and practicing peer review
- Preparing for a Fellowship interview.
What the Programme will not cover
- The programme will not cover the following: how to get research ethics approval; how to complete individual funders’ application forms; the details of intellectual property management; practice in research communication.
- The facilitators will use examples of real funding applications. However, they will not be assisting participants directly with the participants’ own specific proposals.
AREF Essential Grant-Writing Skills Programme Requirements
Applicants must:
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Be citizens of an African country
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Be employed in Africa by a recognised university or research institution
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Be early-career researchers with:
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A research doctorate (PhD, DPhil, MD) awarded on or after 1 January 2020, or
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A medical/clinical qualification with a research-relevant Master’s degree obtained on or after 1 January 2020
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Conduct a significant portion of their role in health research
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Not have previously participated in similar grant-writing training
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Not already hold international research grants totaling £250,000 or more
Application Date and Process
- Click on the link to the application website to apply.
Application Deadline
03 April, 2026
Opportunity Application
View details of
AREF Essential Grant-Writing Skills Programme
Apply for AREF Essential Grant-Writing Skills Programme
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