Scholarships, grants and fellowships for Somali applicants 2027

Somali applicants can choose from 25 open calls that close between 5 and 23 October 2026. Chevening Scholarships 2027/28: One-Year UK Master's (closed) and Mandela Washington Fellowship 2027 for Young African Leaders (closed) both name Somalia on their country lists, and four calls carry AfriWay's fully funded label. Sort the list by the qualification you hold today, then work through it in deadline order.

What Somali applicants can apply for before 23 October

Fellowships dominate: 14 of the 25 calls, next to six scholarships, four grants and one training programme, from 24 funders. By level, postdocs have 11 options, master's and PhD applicants seven each and professionals six. Three calls set no level requirement. A single call names undergraduates.

Two calls name Somalia outright. Chevening Scholarships 2027/28: One-Year UK Master's (closed) funds a one-year master's in the United Kingdom, and Mandela Washington Fellowship 2027 for Young African Leaders (closed) brings 550 young African leaders to the United States. Eight more reach Somalia through a regional rule: two accept every African country, three are limited to Sub-Saharan Africa and three to developing countries. The last 15 are open to any nationality.

With a first degree. Your routes lead to a master's. Beyond Chevening Scholarships 2027/28: One-Year UK Master's (closed) and Knight-Hennessy Scholars 2027: Fully Funded Graduate Study at Stanford (closed), ARC-GSSP Postgraduate Scholarships for African Students (closed) funds postgraduate study at hosts in four African countries, and three German master's programmes appear in the regional section.

For PhD study and research. AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation Research Grant 2026 for PhD Students (closed) awards up to EUR 7,000 per successful applicant for research in environment, climate or agriculture. AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grants 2026 for PhD Researchers (closed) pays for one to two months of research outside Somalia. African Climate Collaborative PhD Fellowships 2027 at UCT (closed) offers 12 PhD fellowships of 48 months. At Bayreuth Academy Fellowships in African Studies, Germany (closed), a doctoral researcher with no pay from home receives EUR 2,500 a month. Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program 2027 in the United States (closed) supports master's, PhD and postdoctoral researchers with stipends of USD 45,000 to USD 65,000 a year, by category.

With a doctorate. Eleven calls take postdocs. Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sustainability 2027 pays USD 65,000 a year for three years, plus USD 12,000 a year for research and travel, and has four places. EUI Jean Monnet Fellowships 2027-2028 for Postdocs in Italy offers 20 places at EUR 2,850 a month for 12 months, and IAIFI Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027-2030 at MIT (closed) pays around 15% above the minimum postdoc salary at MIT. In the humanities and social sciences, read Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship 2027 at CRASSH, Cambridge (closed), CEES Fellowship Program Spring 2027: Research Stay in Switzerland (closed) and Mohamed Ali Foundation Fellowship 2027 at Durham University. AIAS Visiting Fellowships 2027: Unsalaried Research Visits in Denmark (closed) pays no salary, so it suits researchers who keep one at home.

In work. Mandela Washington Fellowship 2027 for Young African Leaders (closed) covers business, management and public policy. FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa is written for health professionals. Software Sustainability Institute Fellowship Programme 2027 (closed) offers 15 months in the United Kingdom to professionals in computer science and IT, and OpenAI AI and Teen Development Research Grant Program 2026 (closed) makes research grants of up to USD 1 million each to postdocs and professionals. Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026 for AI tools that act on research (closed) offers up to GBP 25,000 and sets no level.

As an undergraduate. The Image Centre Research Fellowships 2027 in Toronto for photography research (closed) is the only call that names you, and it has six places.

Fully funded options in deadline order

Four calls pass AfriWay's test for full funding. A scholarship or fellowship must pay tuition and a living stipend, while a grant needs a stipend.

1. Chevening Scholarships 2027/28: One-Year UK Master's (closed) closes on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC, which is 14:00 in Mogadishu. It lists Somalia by name and pays tuition and a living stipend for a 12-month master's in any subject in the United Kingdom. Applicants need at least two years of work experience.
2. Knight-Hennessy Scholars 2027: Fully Funded Graduate Study at Stanford (closed) closes the same day at 23:00 Mogadishu time. It supports up to three years of any graduate degree at Stanford, with a fellowship for tuition and associated fees, a stipend for living and academic expenses, and a travel stipend for one economy-class trip a year.
3. ARC-GSSP Postgraduate Scholarships for African Students (closed) closes at 02:59 on 8 October, Mogadishu time. Any African country qualifies. It pays full tuition for up to two years of postgraduate study in mathematics, engineering or environment and climate, plus a living stipend and travel support, at hosts in South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Ghana.
4. AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grants 2026 for PhD Researchers (closed) closes at 02:59 on 17 October. As a grant, it qualifies through its stipend: EUR 2,300 to EUR 3,000 for a research stay of one to two months outside Somalia, covering travel and subsistence.

Two more calls fall just short of the label. FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa charges no tuition fees and pays economy-class flights, visa fees and accommodation for its three workshops, with daily meals. Mohamed Ali Foundation Fellowship 2027 at Durham University gives fellows accommodation, all meals and a research travel grant, then an honorarium on completion.

Calls limited to Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa or developing countries

Nothing on this list is reserved for Somalia or for the Horn of Africa. Eight calls use a regional rule instead, and Somalia fits each one.

Sub-Saharan Africa has three. FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa runs for 18 months, from 1 December 2026 to 7 July 2028, for health professionals with at least two years of experience, and its host countries are Germany, Ghana and Uganda. The two AGNES grants are for PhD students and must be written in English: AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation Research Grant 2026 for PhD Students (closed) for environment, climate or agriculture, AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grants 2026 for PhD Researchers (closed) for a short research stay in any field.

Every African country can apply to ARC-GSSP Postgraduate Scholarships for African Students (closed) and to African Climate Collaborative PhD Fellowships 2027 at UCT (closed), a PhD programme run by the University of Cape Town in environment, climate and social science.

Developing countries are the target of three DAAD EPOS master's scholarships in Germany. ISATEC (MSc Marine Biology), University of Bremen: DAAD EPOS 2027 (closed) is in the natural sciences, Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies MSc, Oldenburg: EPOS 2027 (closed) in engineering and International Health MSc, Charité Berlin: DAAD EPOS Scholarship 2027 (closed) in health. All three require at least two years of experience and close on 15 October. The Oldenburg course lasts 24 months, with its deadline a year before entry, and Charité admits its next intake in September 2027.

Deadlines closest first, in Mogadishu time

Somalia uses East Africa Time (EAT), three hours ahead of UTC, with no summer time. Many funders set their hour in European or American time, which pushes several deadlines past midnight in Mogadishu.

5 to 7 October

• Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026 for AI tools that act on research (closed): 5 October, 17:00 BST, which is 19:00 in Mogadishu.
• Software Sustainability Institute Fellowship Programme 2027 (closed): 5 October, no hour given.
• Bayreuth Academy Fellowships in African Studies, Germany (closed): 5 October, 23:59 CEST, which is 00:59 on 6 October.
• AIAS Visiting Fellowships 2027: Unsalaried Research Visits in Denmark (closed), Chevening Scholarships 2027/28: One-Year UK Master's (closed) and Knight-Hennessy Scholars 2027: Fully Funded Graduate Study at Stanford (closed): 6 October, at noon Copenhagen time (13:00), 11:00 UTC (14:00) and 1:00 pm Pacific Time (23:00).
• OpenAI AI and Teen Development Research Grant Program 2026 (closed): 6 October, 23:59 Pacific Time, which is 09:59 on 7 October.
• IAIFI Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027-2030 at MIT (closed): 7 October, when all materials, reference letters included, must have arrived.
• ARC-GSSP Postgraduate Scholarships for African Students (closed): 7 October, 23:59 GMT, which is 02:59 on 8 October.

12 to 16 October

• CEES Fellowship Program Spring 2027: Research Stay in Switzerland (closed), Mandela Washington Fellowship 2027 for Young African Leaders (closed) and Leading for Humanity 2027: Tutu Foundation Leadership Programme (closed): 12, 13 and 14 October in turn, no hour given.
• ISATEC (MSc Marine Biology), University of Bremen: DAAD EPOS 2027 (closed), Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies MSc, Oldenburg: EPOS 2027 (closed) and International Health MSc, Charité Berlin: DAAD EPOS Scholarship 2027 (closed): 15 October, no hour given.
• African Climate Collaborative PhD Fellowships 2027 at UCT (closed): 15 October, 23:00 South African time, which is midnight in Mogadishu.
• Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program 2027 in the United States (closed): 15 October, 23:59 Eastern Time, which is 06:59 on 16 October.
• Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship 2027 at CRASSH, Cambridge (closed): 16 October, noon with no time zone stated, or 14:00 in Mogadishu if UK time is meant.
• AGNES-BAYER Science Foundation Research Grant 2026 for PhD Students (closed) and AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grants 2026 for PhD Researchers (closed): 16 October, 23:59 GMT, which is 02:59 on 17 October.

18 to 23 October

• The Image Centre Research Fellowships 2027 in Toronto for photography research (closed): 18 October, 23:59 EST. Toronto is seven hours behind Mogadishu in October, so the safe limit is 06:59 on 19 October.
• Mohamed Ali Foundation Fellowship 2027 at Durham University: 20 October, no hour given.
• Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sustainability 2027: 20 October, 17:00 Eastern Time, which is midnight in Mogadishu.
• FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa: 21 October, midnight CET. Read as the start of that day, it falls in the early hours of 21 October in Mogadishu, so submit on 20 October.
• EUI Jean Monnet Fellowships 2027-2028 for Postdocs in Italy: 23 October, 14:00 CEST, which is 15:00 in Mogadishu.

If a page gives no hour, send your application a day ahead.

How to prepare from Somalia in the time left

Rule out what you cannot fix. Mandela Washington Fellowship 2027 for Young African Leaders (closed) ends at age 35. AIAS Visiting Fellowships 2027: Unsalaried Research Visits in Denmark (closed) needs four years of experience, and Chevening Scholarships 2027/28: One-Year UK Master's (closed), FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa and the three EPOS master's programmes need two.

Next, decide how you will prove your English. FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa is the one listing that says IELTS is not required. It accepts IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 79-80, TOEFL Paper 550 or TOEFL Computer 213, native speakers, and graduates of higher education completed in English who can show written proof. Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies MSc, Oldenburg: EPOS 2027 (closed) wants level B2 from one of seven tests, IELTS and TOEFL iBT among them. ISATEC (MSc Marine Biology), University of Bremen: DAAD EPOS 2027 (closed) wants C1 unless English is your native language or your last study was taught completely in English. Mandela Washington Fellowship 2027 for Young African Leaders (closed) asks for proficiency in reading, writing and speaking.

Arabic counts in one place. Mohamed Ali Foundation Fellowship 2027 at Durham University says that full use of its collection needs good reading knowledge of Arabic, Ottoman Turkish, French and English. At EUI Jean Monnet Fellowships 2027-2028 for Postdocs in Italy, you need good English and any other language your research requires.

Then gather the documents that other people must send. IAIFI Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027-2030 at MIT (closed) must receive all materials, reference letters included, by 7 October. The Image Centre Research Fellowships 2027 in Toronto for photography research (closed) takes letters of reference by email, sent with the application. CEES Fellowship Program Spring 2027: Research Stay in Switzerland (closed) asks for every document in English, merged into one PDF. At Bayreuth Academy Fellowships in African Studies, Germany (closed), the EUR 2,500 monthly rate needs a confirmation from your home institution or last funding organisation.

Last, budget for the gaps. Leading for Humanity 2027: Tutu Foundation Leadership Programme (closed) covers programme costs, accommodation and meals, but participants or their sponsors pay for the trip to and from South Africa. The Image Centre Research Fellowships 2027 in Toronto for photography research (closed) folds travel, research and related costs into a single CAD 10,000 stipend. FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa pays no daily allowance.

Six of the stated closing hours fall between midnight and 03:00 in Mogadishu. Send those applications a day early.

Frequently asked questions

Which calls in this guide name Somalia?

Chevening Scholarships 2027/28: One-Year UK Master's (closed) and Mandela Washington Fellowship 2027 for Young African Leaders (closed). Eight others accept Somali applicants through a regional rule, and 15 accept any nationality.

Is there a funded PhD option?

Knight-Hennessy Scholars 2027: Fully Funded Graduate Study at Stanford (closed) covers up to three years of graduate study at Stanford, PhD included, with tuition and a stipend. African Climate Collaborative PhD Fellowships 2027 at UCT (closed) offers 12 PhD fellowships, and the two AGNES grants fund research by PhD students.

What if I have no English test score?

FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa accepts written proof of higher education completed in English in place of a test. For the other calls, check the official page before you book one.

Which calls suit health workers?

FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027: outbreak readiness for sub-Saharan Africa is written for health professionals, and International Health MSc, Charité Berlin: DAAD EPOS Scholarship 2027 (closed) leads to a master's in international health. OpenAI AI and Teen Development Research Grant Program 2026 (closed) funds health research among other fields.

What can undergraduates apply for?

The Image Centre Research Fellowships 2027 in Toronto for photography research (closed) welcomes undergraduates by name. Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026 for AI tools that act on research (closed) and Leading for Humanity 2027: Tutu Foundation Leadership Programme (closed) accept applicants at any level.