Kemri Wellcome Trust PhD Scholarships

At the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Programme we are keen to build capacity for research in East Africa. We are aware that good PhD training is the foundation for a successful research career. As such, our PhD scheme is aimed at providing students with an opportunity to carry out their training in a high quality research environment. We have developed a quality-assured supervision system that includes a supervision teams of two or three senior researchers and student advisory committee that monitors the students’ progress and advise on academic, career and if necessary social issues that may affect the students’ progress. In addition, the students’ progress is monitored through six monthly reports and an upgrading mini viva at the end of the first year to determine their suitability to continue with the PhD training. Our supervision system is internationally recognised and we are now an Affiliated Research Centre of the Open University of the UK with authority to wholly supervise students registered with that University.

The studentships are proposed by potential supervisors and are mainly funded through dedicated capacity building fund from the Wellcome Trust under the Initiative to Develop African Research Leaders (IDeAL) and at times through funding from collaborating initiatives such as SANTHE, WACCBIP and SSACAB. Admission to the PhD scheme is through winning a partial or full studentship in a competitive interview process.

Those who win the full studentships are appointed for a 3 months pre-registration position during which they are assessed for their suitability for registration for PhD. At the end of this period the students are formally assessed and are only allowed to submit their registration application if they pass the assessment otherwise the studentship is withdrawn. Registration is subject to meeting the full requirements for the target university. At the end of the first year of registration the students undergo an upgrading assessment. This assessment determines if they will continue with the PhD training, be downgraded to an MPhil or even have their studentship withdrawn.

Partial studentships are targeted at students who are already registered for PhD in local universities and provide support for the students to spend time at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust carrying out their research project. Partial studentship will normally run for a shorter period than full studentships

Application process

To apply please create a new account then check your email. You will receive an email with instructions on how to login. After you login please click on PhD Application under “ADD NEW” tab on top of the page. Kindly fill in all the questions paying attention to word limits where indicated. After filling in each page you may click on PREVIEW to see the information you have just filled in then click on SAVE.

If DRAFT is checked, the information is saved but not submitted and you may edit or finish it later.

To submit please make sure DRAFT is unchecked and click SAVE. The information submitted before the deadline may still be edited but as of the deadline day it will be taken as your final submission irrespective of completion status.

Only shortlisted applicants will receive communication regarding their application

Currently available PhD studentships

Please note that the listed positions WILL BE CLOSED on the closing date. This means the applications must be submitted BEFORE the closing date.