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Scholarship information and University and Secondary School rankings

Ashinaga Africa Initiative Scholarships

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  • The Ashinaga Africa Initiative is an international leadership program that aims to build up the next generation of leaders who will contribute to the development of Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • The AAI provides financial support for international university degrees, along with leadership training and support for its scholars.

Scholarship Overview

  • The AAI supports orphaned students (who have lost one or both parents) who are committed to returning to Sub-Saharan Africa to initiate change, innovation, and development after completing their undergraduate studies.
  • This program provides access to full financial support to study at a university abroad to acquire an undergraduate degree.
  • The AAI supports scholars from 46 of the 49 Sub-Saharan African countries, funding their undergraduate education at universities in Europe, the USA, Japan, and Brazil. 

Host School(s)

  • Higher education institutions in Japan, Europe, the USA, and Brazil

Field(s) of Study

  • Undergraduate programs

What does the scholarship cover?

  • Tuition fees
  • Accommodation
  • Travel costs
  • Other necessary fees related to the course

How many scholarships are given?

  • One student from each Sub-Saharan country per year

Which countries are targeted?

  • Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde,
  • CAR, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti,
  • DRC Congo, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana,
  • Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Kingdom of eSwatini, Lesotho,
  • Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania,
  • Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
  • Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe,
  • Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan,
  • Seychelles, Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia,
  • Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Am I Eligible to Apply?

To qualify for this scholarship, you must:

  • Have lost one or both parents.
  • Have been born after 1st September 2000.
  • Not be in a position to attend university abroad without external financial assistance.
  • Have completed secondary school and received the results of your national secondary school examination (technical and vocational degrees not accepted) within the last two years (any date after 2nd August 2020, including all of 2021 and 2022), or will have completed secondary school and received final exam results before February 28th, 2023.
  • Be regularly ranked in the top 10% of your class during your last 2 or 3 years of secondary school.
  • Be fully committed to returning home, or to Sub-Saharan Africa, and contributing to society in Sub-Saharan Africa after graduating from university.
  • Be proficient in English, French, or Portuguese.  
  • Be in a good enough health condition to be able to study abroad. 
  • Be able to participate in the two Ashinaga preparatory programs, over one year, before attending university.
  • Have no dependents who could interfere with academic progress.  

How Do I Apply – Next Steps

  • Application is done online, via email, or post. The online option is however the preferred mode of application.

EMAIL

  1. Download the application form.
  2. Print the application form and fill it out.
  3. Scan the completed application form and the other required documents in either PDF or JPG format.
  4. Email your scanned documents to the addresses below. Use your name and country as the email title.
    1. For Anglophone countries, email your scanned documents to: admissions.en@ashinaga.org
    1. For Francophone countries, email your scanned documents to: admissions.fr@ashinaga.org

ONLINE

  1. Gather all the required documents, except for the application form.
  2. Scan the required documents in either PDF or JPG format.
  3. Apply online.
  4. Complete your application and submit it.

POST

  1. Download the application form, or ask for the form from your local Japanese embassy.
  2. Print the application form and fill it out.
  3. Make photocopies of your completed application form and all other required documents.
  4. Send all photocopies to the following address:
    Ashinaga Africa Initiative Recruitment Team P. O. Box 16864 – Kampala, UGANDA (Do not send original documents, copies only)
  5. Your application is complete.

Selection Process

  • Applications from all the countries will be assessed after the application deadline, after which successful applicants will be invited to a final assessment.
  • This final assessment consists of individual interviews and an examination to better understand students’ academic abilities and career goals in Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • The successful applicants must bring all original academic documents and identification documents to the interview. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the application process. 

Required Documents

  • Passport size photograph
  • Passport or National ID Card?? 
  • Birth certificate of the applicant
  • Death certificate of deceased parent(s), including the deceased parent’s name, or alternative official documentation proving the death of parent(s) or orphan status.?
  • All term reports/secondary school transcripts from the last 2 years.
  • Final secondary school examination certificate, showing grades in each subject
  • A letter of recommendation from a principal or?schoolteacher. This should be inclusive of their email address and phone number and must contain information about your performance and character whilst at secondary school. All recommendation letters should contain an official signature or stamp.?
  • Academic transcripts or other results from university? (if applicable).?
  • Certificates for extracurricular activities, training courses, jobs, or any other commitments that may be relevant to your application.

Closing Date

  • 20th January 2023.

How do I get more information?

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