Updated: August 18, 2026 | Reading time: 4 min | Written by: StudyTribune Team
The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) PhD Scholarship is one of the more distinctive funding routes on this list — rather than sending African students abroad, it funds doctoral economics research at leading African universities themselves, building the continent’s own research capacity directly. This guide covers how the programme actually works, real current deadline patterns, and how to apply.
What Is the AERC PhD Scholarship?
Established in 1988, the African Economic Research Consortium is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening economic policy research and training across Africa. Its flagship PhD funding route, the Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP) in Economics, supports doctoral candidates studying economics at a network of partner African universities, rather than funding study overseas. The goal is explicit: build a generation of locally trained, professionally strong economists who stay rooted in African research and policy institutions rather than being drawn away by study-abroad pathways.
Eligibility
- Open to citizens of Francophone and Anglophone sub-Saharan African countries
- Must have secured admission to a PhD economics programme at one of AERC’s partner CPP universities before applying for the scholarship itself — admission comes first, the scholarship application follows
- Strong academic background in economics or a closely related field, per your specific university’s admission requirements
Participating Universities
The AERC Collaborative PhD Programme runs through a network of partner universities across the continent, including the University of Nairobi, University of Ghana, University of Dar es Salaam, University of Cape Coast, Makerere University, Addis Ababa University, University of Mauritius, University of Malawi, University of Botswana, University of Namibia, and University of Zimbabwe. Coverage and funding levels can vary by university and cycle, so confirm the specific terms for your target institution directly with AERC once admitted.
How to Apply: Step by Step
- Apply for admission directly to your chosen partner university’s PhD economics programme — this happens through the university’s own application process, entirely separate from AERC.
- Wait for your admission letter. AERC scholarship applications require proof of admission before they’ll be considered — you cannot apply for the funding first.
- Upload your documents to the AERC scholarship portal, including your application cover letter, CV, evidence of admission, and certified copies of academic transcripts and certificates.
- Submit before the current cycle’s deadline. AERC’s deadline has shifted between cycles historically, so confirm the exact current date on AERC’s official site rather than relying on a remembered figure.
- Await AERC’s funding decision, which follows your university admission and document review.
Current Application Status
AERC’s most recently confirmed PhD Fellowship cycle closed with an April 30, 2026 deadline, and — like most AERC funding rounds — is expected to reopen for a new intake on a roughly annual basis. If you’re reading this after that date, the current cycle is closed; check AERC’s official website (aercafrica.org) directly for the next intake’s exact dates rather than assuming a fixed annual pattern, since AERC’s deadlines have genuinely varied by a few months between past cycles.
Other AERC Opportunities Worth Knowing
Beyond the PhD CPP scholarship, AERC also runs an Internship Programme, aimed at preparing recent postgraduates for roles in research, policy-making, and capacity-building institutions, and an AERC-World Bank Visiting Scholars Programme, run in partnership with the World Bank’s Africa Region Chief Economist’s Office. Both are separate application processes from the PhD scholarship — worth checking if you’re not yet PhD-ready but want a foothold in African economic research institutions.
Why This Programme Is Worth Considering Over a Study-Abroad Scholarship
If your priority is building a research career rooted in African economic institutions rather than emigrating for study, AERC’s model offers something most international scholarships don’t: a built-in professional network of AERC-trained economists already working across central banks, finance ministries, and research institutions throughout the continent. Graduates of the Collaborative PhD Programme routinely move into exactly these roles, partly because AERC’s own mission is explicitly about strengthening local policy capacity, not just funding individual students. If you’re weighing this against a fully-funded PhD abroad, the trade-off is real: a study-abroad route may offer broader international exposure, while AERC offers a research career path built specifically for African policy institutions from day one.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying to AERC before securing university admission. The scholarship application explicitly requires proof of admission first — there’s no way around this sequencing.
- Assuming the deadline is fixed year to year. AERC’s cycles haven’t followed one consistent date historically — always verify the current one directly.
- Overlooking the Internship and Visiting Scholars programmes if a full PhD isn’t your immediate next step — these offer a lower-commitment way into the same research network.
FAQs
Does the AERC PhD Scholarship fund study outside Africa?
No — it specifically funds PhD study in economics at partner African universities, as part of AERC’s mission to build research capacity within the continent.
Do I need to be admitted to a university before applying for AERC funding?
Yes. You must first secure admission to a PhD economics programme at one of AERC’s partner CPP universities, then apply for the scholarship itself through the AERC portal.
Is the AERC PhD Scholarship fully funded?
Coverage varies by university and cycle — confirm the specific funding terms for your target institution directly with AERC once you’ve been admitted, rather than assuming full funding applies uniformly.
Which countries are eligible?
Citizens of Francophone and Anglophone sub-Saharan African countries.
Related Reading
For more research and academic funding routes across the continent, see our Corporate & Academic Research Opportunities for African Students hub, covering everything from postdoctoral fellowships to research consortium funding beyond AERC alone.
The AERC PhD Scholarship remains one of the strongest routes into African-based economics research specifically — just confirm current deadlines directly with AERC before building your timeline around a past cycle’s dates.