The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) runs a collaborative doctoral training program in public and population health. It supports teaching and research staff at participating African institutions to pursue a PhD while remaining employed.
Fellows combine residential Joint Advanced Seminars, a seven-month online academic-writing program, and doctoral research at a participating institution. The 2026 call offered 22 awards and began on 1 March 2026; CARTA has not published a newer general call or an exact next opening date.
Benefits & funding
- Residential JAS-1 and JAS-2 training plus a seven-month online inter-JAS academic-writing program.
- A laptop.
- A modest stipend for 28 months.
- Up to USD 10,500 in research funds, subject to the available budget.
- The employing institution must continue the fellow’s salary; university staff need a fee waiver, while research-institution staff need a waiver or secured fee funding at a trusted partner or associate university.
- CARTA does not cover registration fees, subsistence, or travel for fellows registered outside their home institution.
Eligibility
- Be bona fide teaching or research staff at one of the 11 participating institutions in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Malawi, or Tanzania; the call states no nationality or residency restriction apart from this employment requirement.
- Hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field.
- Be unregistered for a PhD, or in the first year with a research proposal that has not been approved.
- Propose PhD research related to public and population health.
- Be under 40 if a man or under 45 if a woman at the time of application.
- Obtain admission to a participating African university within 12 months after the fellowship begins.
- Registered students, volunteer lecturers, and temporary staff outside an institutional staff-development policy are ineligible; women are strongly encouraged to apply.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Education required
Master
Age requirement
≤ 44 yrs
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Application process
- 1Contact the CARTA focal person at the applicant’s institution.
- 2Submit the preliminary application and reference material through CARTA’s REDCap portal by the stated deadline.
- 3If nominated by the institution, submit the full research proposal, updated CV, institutional support letter, three timed tasks, and two required online-course completions.
- 4Await the CARTA Secretariat’s final decision, which is independent of the institution’s nomination.
Program timeline
20 August 2025
Preliminary application deadline for the 2026 cohort.
Full application deadline for nominated candidates.
21 September 2025
Final fellowship decisions.
15 November 2025
Fellowship began with JAS-1.
1 March 2026
JAS-2.
November 2026