A paid job in Cairo. A scholarship to Darwin. A journalism traineeship in Germany. This list reaches far beyond Africa, and the first deadline is days away.
This week’s round-up has ten chances for young Africans. They include scholarships, a paid internship that pays $1,000 a month, a paid journalism traineeship, small grants and training. The first closes on 25 October. Most of the rest close in November. We list them by deadline, so you can plan your week.
First up is a grant of up to €1,000 for youth groups, run by Global Citizenship Education Europe. A group of three or more people under 30 can apply. It does not need to be registered. Projects last 6 to 12 months and cover climate work such as awareness or training. Apply by 25 October. Read the rules first. The call document asks for citizens of EU countries. See the fund page.
Next is a trip to Australia for Indigenous leaders. A group called International Funders for Indigenous Peoples is offering scholarships to its 2027 conference in Darwin, from 28 to 30 April. Indigenous applicants from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America can apply. Indigenous youth and people with disabilities get priority. The scholarship pays for registration, hotel, airfare, visa fees, meals and insurance. Apply by Friday, 6 November at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Winners are named on 23 November. The number of awards depends on fundraising. See the scholarship page.
Three programmes from ChangemakerXchange share a deadline of 9 November. Changemakers for Youth is for leaders of youth-focused ventures in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Switzerland and Eastern Germany. Changemakers for Equality covers East Africa and the Gulf. Its African countries include Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. A third programme links Europe and China. You must be 18 to 35 and lead an active social or environmental venture. Those chosen join a summit in mid-March 2027. Rooms and meals are covered. A travel stipend may be offered. Interviews run from 20 November to 19 December. Decisions come on 13 January 2027. Apply for Changemakers for Youth or see Changemakers for Equality.
Journalists should look at the Deutsche Welle (DW) traineeship. It is paid and lasts 18 months, from January 2028 to June 2029. There are 12 places. People from other fields who want to move into journalism can apply too. The pay was not listed in the call we read, so check DW’s portal. Apply by 17 November at noon CET. There is an online test. Check the nationality rules before you start. Apply on DW’s portal.
The YouthConnekt Africa Summit runs from 25 to 27 November in Kigali, Rwanda. This is the eighth edition. Its theme is “Shape the Generational Mission”. Organisers expect about 5,000 people in the room and 25,000 online. Topics include African trade, jobs, climate and creative work. A call for speakers and moderators has been shared, so follow the official YouthConnekt Africa channels to put yourself forward. Read about the summit.
Young Water Diplomats, from IHE Delft, runs from 3 February to 6 July 2027. It is partly online, with two workshops: one in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in April and one in Delft in July. The fee is €1,500, and travel and living costs are extra. A few fellowships may be open to people from low-income and lower-middle-income countries. You need a bachelor’s degree, ideally in social sciences. Early-career applicants under 40 get priority. Just 18 people are chosen. Apply by 29 November, though one page says 30 November, so go early. Apply at IHE Delft.
Two opportunities have no clear dates. Afreximbank’s internship in Cairo pays a tax-free $1,000 a month. Those who relocate also get a $500 housing allowance. Medical insurance and visa support are included. You must be 20 to 32. You must also be a national of an Afreximbank member country, or a student of African descent abroad. No closing date is listed, so apply soon. See the vacancy. The Erasmus Mundus GLOBE master’s is a two-year degree in global change ecology and biodiversity management. It is taught in Lisbon, Madrid, Bangor in Wales and Tlaxcala in Mexico. Up to 20 Erasmus Mundus scholarships are given each year. You need a relevant degree and B2-level English. We could not confirm the 2027 to 2029 deadline, so check the apply page. See GLOBE.
France’s Eiffel Excellence Scholarship works differently, because you cannot apply on your own. French universities nominate candidates. They send their lists to Campus France by 6 January 2027. The award pays €1,200 a month for a master’s and €2,100 a month for a PhD. It also adds services such as travel and insurance. It does not cover tuition fees. Age limits apply. Paris-Saclay, for example, asks master’s candidates to be born after 31 March 1997. Contact your chosen university well before its own deadline. At Paris-Saclay, PhD candidates must act by 6 November. Master’s candidates have until 26 November. See Paris-Saclay’s guide.
The last item is an online course on Climate Leadership for Community Action, from the Digital Opportunity Trust. It lasts six weeks at about five hours a week, with live coaching and a certificate. Anyone can join. Young people aged 18 to 35 from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia are urged to join. Cohort 3 lists a start date of 1 October, so sign up quickly. Sign up here.
Why it matters: Many of the best chances for young Africans come from outside the continent, and each has its own rules. Some have fees. Some need a nomination. Some are closed to certain nationalities. Read the official page before you apply to save time. No genuine programme should ask you to pay to be considered.
What to watch next: the 25 October grant deadline. Then 6 November for Darwin, 9 November for the Changemakers programmes and 17 November for DW. The Eiffel nomination date is 6 January 2027.
Sources: Global Citizenship Education Europe; International Funders for Indigenous Peoples; ChangemakerXchange, Changemakers for Youth; ChangemakerXchange, Changemakers for Equality; Opportunities for Youth on the DW traineeship; The New Times on YouthConnekt Africa; Opportunities for Youth on Young Water Diplomats; Afreximbank on Workable; University of Lisbon on GLOBE; Opportunities for Africans on the Eiffel scholarship; Paris-Saclay on the Eiffel scholarship; Digital Opportunity Trust.
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