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Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme

Last verified 17 May 2026 by the Scholarships for Africans editorial team

EU-funded scholarship enabling African students and staff to study, teach or research at African partner universities across the continent — fully funded master's and PhD mobilities.

Provider: European Commission / EACEA (with African Union)
Host country: Africa
Deadline: Consortium call deadline: 30 January 2025 (closed). Next call under Erasmus+ 2026 Programme Guide.
Region: Africa

Official source

Eligibility & requirements at a glance

Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme is open to African students applying to study in Africa at the Masters level, with fully funded funding. Below is a quick summary of who can apply, what's covered, and the key dates — full details are further down the page.

Who can apply: Masters · applicants for Africa
Funding: Fully Funded
Study level: Masters
Deadline: Consortium call deadline: 30 January 2025 (closed). Next call under Erasmus+ 2026 Programme Guide.

Key eligibility criteria

Nationals of any African country, registered at or holding a degree from an African higher-education institution. Each consortium publishes its own eligibility and application portal.

What the fully funded award covers

Full tuition
Accommodation
Visa & residence costs
Settling-in allowance

About the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme (2026)

## Overview The Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme is a flagship scholarship programme co-funded by the European Union and the African Union to strengthen higher education across Africa by enabling African students, academics and administrative staff to move between African universities for full degrees, exchanges and joint research. Modelled on the success of Erasmus Mundus in Europe, the scheme funds consortia of African higher-education institutions (typically four to six partner universities across at least two African regions, plus European technical partners) to deliver master's and doctoral mobilities in fields aligned to Africa's development priorities. Rather than running as a single central application, the scheme is delivered through **dozens of partnerships**, each branded with its own name (for example AESOP, MOUNAF, INTERFOOD, MARMA, ARISE). Each partnership has its own scientific focus — from agriculture and renewable energy to public health, marine sciences, climate change, urban planning and ICT — and its own host universities, intake calendar and selection panel. ## Benefits Mobilities funded by the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme are **fully funded**, including: * **Full tuition and registration fees** at the host African university. * **Monthly subsistence allowance** to cover accommodation, food and living costs in the host country. * **Installation allowance** on arrival. * **One return international flight** between the home and host country. * **Comprehensive health, accident and travel insurance**. * **Visa and residence permit fees**. * **Research, fieldwork and participation allowance** for academic activities and conferences (PhD and staff mobilities). * Membership of a growing pan-African alumni network of mobile graduates. ## Eligibility General eligibility shared across most partnerships: * Be a **national of any African country** and currently residing in Africa. * Be either: * **Target Group 1:** registered as a student, researcher or staff member at one of the African higher-education institutions in the consortium; or * **Target Group 2:** registered at any other African higher-education institution not in the partnership; or * **Target Group 3:** a graduate of an African higher-education institution working in industry, public service or research in Africa. * Meet the academic entry requirements of the chosen partnership and host university (typically a bachelor's degree for master's mobilities and a master's degree for PhD mobilities). * Demonstrate sufficient proficiency in the language of instruction (often English, French, Portuguese or Arabic depending on the consortium). * Not have benefited from a previous mobility grant under the same scheme for the same study level. * A significant share of mobilities is reserved for women applicants and for candidates from least-developed and conflict-affected African countries. ## Application Process 1. Browse the EACEA project catalogue (eacea.ec.europa.eu) and identify the active Intra-Africa Mobility partnership that matches your field, study level and language. 2. Open the partnership's own website — every consortium runs its own application portal, deadlines and selection panel. 3. Prepare the standard documents — CV, certified transcripts and degree certificates, motivation letter, research proposal (for PhD), recommendation letters, proof of nationality, language certificate and passport copy. 4. Submit your application directly to the partnership before its published deadline; some partnerships accept applications for multiple intakes per year. 5. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by the partnership's selection committee, which balances academic quality, gender, regional representation and target-group requirements. 6. Selected scholars receive a placement at one of the partner host universities, sign the mobility agreement and arrange travel. ## Deadlines The scheme operates on **annual calls**, with most partnerships opening their student application windows around **December to February** each academic year and closing **March to April**, for mobilities starting the following September. Some doctoral partnerships run rolling intakes. Because each partnership sets its own calendar, applicants should monitor the EACEA project page and the websites of the specific partnerships in their field from late autumn each year. ## Why this scholarship matters For African students who want to study in Africa but at a higher-resourced institution than is available in their home country, the Intra-Africa Mobility Scheme is one of the few funded routes that makes this possible at scale. It builds intra-continental academic links, supports the African Continental Higher Education Area, and produces graduates with regional networks that translate directly into pan-African career opportunities.

What the Fully Funded Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme covers

The award components below were extracted from the sponsor's published description. Always cross-check the exact figures, ceiling amounts and conditions on the official site before you budget around them.

Full tuition
Accommodation
Visa & residence costs
Settling-in allowance

Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme eligibility for Africa applicants

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

Nationals of any African country, registered at or holding a degree from an African higher-education institution. Each consortium publishes its own eligibility and application portal.

Documents required for the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme application

A planning baseline drawn from how 90%+ of African scholarship sponsors structure their checklist. The sponsor's portal is the source of truth for any single application.

Valid international passport (bio page scan)
Most recent academic transcripts (sealed or e-verified copies)
Curriculum vitae / résumé (1–2 pages, reverse-chronological)
Personal statement or motivation letter (500–1,000 words, tailored to the sponsor)
Two to three reference letters (academic for students, professional for working applicants)
Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo) — Medium-of-Instruction letter may substitute for Anglophone-Africa graduates
Passport-sized photograph meeting ICAO biometric standards
Research proposal or statement of purpose (500–2,000 words for PhD)
Published or unpublished writing sample (PhD and research-led Masters)
Financial-need declaration or family-income statement (sponsor-specific template)
Country-of-origin proof (national ID or birth certificate) — required by many Africa-focused funders

How to apply for the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme 2026

A practical, sponsor-agnostic sequence used by >95% of international scholarship applicants. Adapt to the sponsor's specific portal — the order rarely changes.

1
Confirm eligibility on the official site
Open https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/grants/2021-2027/intra-africa-academic-mobility-scheme_en and verify the sponsor's stated criteria match your profile — currently: "Nationals of any African country, registered at or holding a degree from an African higher-education institution. Each consortium publishes its own eligibility and application portal.". Sponsor rules change between intakes, so always confirm against the live call.
2
Secure a study place or admission offer
Apply to the host university or programme first where required, and obtain a conditional admission letter. A growing number of sponsors only fund applicants who already hold an offer.
3
Sit required tests and gather documents
Register for IELTS / TOEFL / Duolingo (or SAT / GRE where required), request official transcripts, brief two or three referees, and prepare passport and identity documents at high resolution.
4
Draft your essays and statements
Write a 500–1,000-word personal statement and any additional essays the sponsor specifies. Anchor each essay in concrete examples and tie your goals back to the sponsor's mission.
5
Complete the online application
Create an account on https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/grants/2021-2027/intra-africa-academic-mobility-scheme_en, fill in every field, and upload the required documents in the formats specified (PDF, max file size, single-file vs multi-file). Save progress frequently — most portals time out after 30–60 minutes.
6
Submit by Consortium call deadline: 30 January 2025 (closed). Next call under Erasmus+ 2026 Programme Guide. (aim 7 days early)
Sponsor portals routinely slow or fail in the final 24 hours. Submit early, download the confirmation receipt, and screenshot the submission timestamp. Late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.
7
Prepare for shortlist interviews
If shortlisted, European Commission / EACEA (with African Union) will contact you within 4–12 weeks. Re-read your essays, rehearse 3–5 likely questions out loud, and confirm your time zone for any video interview.

Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme deadline & application timeline

The sponsor has not published a fixed deadline yet. Use the milestones below as a generic 12-month plan; substitute dates once the intake window opens.

12 months out
Register for tests (IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GRE), shortlist 3–5 universities, identify referees.
6 months out
Sit your tests, draft a personal statement, request transcripts and confirm reference letters.
3 months out
Finalise essays, upload supporting documents, complete the online application portal.
1 month out
Final review, double-check uploaded files, submit a week before the deadline to avoid portal issues.
Application deadline
Submit by 23:59 in the sponsor's stated time zone — usually local to the sponsor, not your country.

Ready to apply?

Cross-check the latest eligibility rules and deadline on the sponsor's official portal before you start your application.

Visit official site

Editorial verification note

Old erasmus-plus URL returned 404. Updated to current EACEA Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme (MOBAF) page. Scheme operates via consortia of African HEIs; students apply through selected consortia, not directly to EACEA. 2026 Erasmus+ call launched 14 Nov 2025.

Last checked 5/17/2026

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme?+

Applicants must be eligible African nationals applying at the Masters level, meet the academic and English-language requirements set by European Commission / EACEA (with African Union), and be able to relocate to Africa for the duration of the programme.

Is the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme fully funded?+

Funding model: Fully Funded. Where listed as fully funded, the award typically covers tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance and round-trip airfare. Always confirm the latest funding breakdown on the sponsor's official page.

When is the application deadline?+

The application deadline is Consortium call deadline: 30 January 2025 (closed). Next call under Erasmus+ 2026 Programme Guide.. Submit at least one week early — sponsor portals frequently slow or fail in the final 24 hours, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.

What documents do I need to apply?+

At minimum: passport bio page, academic transcripts, CV, personal statement, two to three references, and an English-language test score (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo). Research-led Masters and PhD applications also require a research proposal and a writing sample.

How can I improve my chance of winning?+

Apply early, tailor every essay to the specific sponsor (do not recycle a generic statement), secure at least one reference who knows your work in detail, and apply to two or three additional scholarships in parallel — never rely on a single application.

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