Applications are open for the 2026 Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund — and this cycle’s deadline is September 3, 2026, so act quickly if you’re eligible. Established in 2012 with support from The ALBORADA Trust, the fund has made 392 awards across 38 African countries, supporting postdoctoral-level research pairs between the University of Cambridge and sub-Saharan African institutions. Here’s exactly who qualifies, what’s funded, and how to apply before the deadline.
Quick Facts
- Established: 2012, funded by The ALBORADA Trust
- Grant Size: £1,000 to £25,000
- Level: Postdoctoral researchers and above (both applicants)
- Track Record: 392 awards made, across researchers from 38 African countries
- Application Deadline: September 3, 2026
- Eligible Disciplines: All disciplines
What the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund Supports
- Research costs, including reagents, fieldwork, and equipment
- Research training activities in Africa, such as setting up courses or workshops
- Seed funding to help develop new research collaborations into larger, externally funded projects — past awardees have gone on to secure Royal Society/Leverhulme Awards and Global Challenges Research Fund grants on the strength of preliminary results from this fund
What Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund explicitly does not cover: overheads, PI salaries, administration costs, bench fees, or funding for researchers to attend conferences. Budget your proposal around direct research and training costs rather than these categories.
Eligibility
- A genuine research collaboration must already exist between a Cambridge-based applicant and a sub-Saharan Africa-based applicant, with both agreeing to work together.
- The Cambridge-based applicant must be based at the University of Cambridge or an affiliated institution — this includes the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), and the British Antarctic Survey, in addition to Cambridge departments directly.
- The Africa-based applicant must be based at a research institution or university in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Both applicants must be at postdoctoral level or above, applying with the support of their Head of Department or equivalent.
- Both applicants must have a formal link to a research group, department, or faculty at their home institution.
How to Apply
- Confirm your research collaboration and that both applicants meet the postdoctoral-level eligibility requirement.
- The Cambridge-based applicant registers for the online application system. Only email addresses ending in @cam.ac.uk, @sanger.ac.uk, @babraham.ac.uk, @bas.ac.uk, or @niab.com (note: this changed from the old @niab.ac.uk domain) can register.
- Once registered, the Cambridge-based applicant logs into the application form and selects “Invite a 2nd applicant to view/edit this submission” to bring in the Africa-based partner.
- Both applicants complete the savable online form together, including:
- A case for support and a lay summary
- An itemized budget, using the provided template
- A letter of support from the Cambridge Principal Investigator’s department or faculty
- A letter of support from the African Principal Investigator’s department or institution. Recommendation Letter for Scholarship
- CVs (maximum 2 pages) for both the Cambridge and Africa-based PI
- Details of two referees
- Submit before the September 3, 2026 deadline — late applications are generally not considered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this fund open to students, or only established researchers? Both applicants must be at postdoctoral level or above. This isn’t a scholarship for current students — it’s a research collaboration grant for early-career and established researchers.
How much can we apply for? Between £1,000 and £25,000, depending on the scope of your proposed research or training activity.
What can’t the grant be used for? Overheads, PI salaries, administration costs, bench fees, and funding to attend conferences are explicitly excluded.
Who can register as the Cambridge-based applicant? Only applicants with an email address ending in @cam.ac.uk, @sanger.ac.uk, @babraham.ac.uk, @bas.ac.uk, or @niab.com.
What’s the current deadline? September 3, 2026, for the current cycle. The fund runs an annual call, so expect a similar September deadline pattern in future years.
Are there other similar options like Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund? Yes. The Mastercard Foundation and University of Cambridge Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund is a related opportunity worth checking if your research focuses on that area.
Main Hub Page
Official Resources
- Official call for applications and registration: cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk