African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Scholarship
Lund University now offers a scholarship programme for high-achieving African students from renowned research-oriented universities in a number of different African countries.
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About the ARUA Scholarship Programme
The ARUA Scholarship Programme aims to provide financial support to prospective students who have demonstrated academic excellence at one of the member universities of ARUA.
The scholarship is selective and merit-based and is intended for African students who are committed to Lund University.
Please read the following information carefully to ensure you are eligible and to find out when you can apply.
The 2024 application period for the ARUA Scholarship has passed. The next round will open in early February 2025.
Applicants who have completed an application for an international degree programme at Lund University as their first choice will be notified by email when the scholarship application period opens. Also see 'Requirements and conditions' and 'How to apply' below.
You will not be able to apply until you have received the email with the link to the scholarship application portal in February.
The scholarship applies to the countries and ARUA universities listed below.
Note that the list on this page may not reflect the latest changes. Please check the ARUA website for the most up-to-date list.
ARUA Member Universities – arua.org
Ethiopia
- Addis Ababa University
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa
Ghana
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology
- University of Cape Coast
- University of Ghana
Kenya
- University of Nairobi
Mauritius
- University of Mauritius
Mozambique
- Eduardo Mondlane University (Associate Member)
Nigeria
- University of Ibadan
- University of Lagos
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka
- Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
Rwanda
- University of Rwanda
Senegal
- Université Cheikh Anta Diop
South Africa
- Rhodes University
- University of Cape Town
- University of KwaZulu-Natal
- University of Pretoria
- University of Stellenbosch
- University of the Witwatersrand
Tanzania
- University of Dar es Salaam
Uganda
- Makerere University
To be eligible to apply for the scholarship, you must:
- be or have been a student at an ARUA university in one of the countries listed on this page (see 'Countries/ARUA universities' above)
- be a citizen of a country from outside the EU/EEA (and Switzerland) and be required to pay tuition fees for your studies at Lund University
- have submitted a correct, complete and timely application for an international degree programme at Lund University
- have selected Lund University as your first choice in your application at universityadmissions.se.
Please do not apply if you do not meet all of the above requirements. Your application will not be considered.
The ARUA Scholarship covers a percentage of the tuition fees, up to a maximum of 90%. The exact percentage awarded depends on the available budget of the programme/faculty concerned.
Please note that the scholarship does not cover living costs. Scholarship recipients must still have the means to cover their living costs according to the requirements of the Swedish Migration Agency.
About living expense requirements at the Swedish Migration Agency's website
Our mission with the ARUA Scholarship
Lund University is engaged in the scholarship programme to strengthen our collaboration with leading research-oriented African universities.
This is in line with our commitment to building strong partnerships and enriching Lund University's academic community.
How to apply
Please read the 'About the ARUA Scholarship Programme' section above carefully so that you know what to do and what to expect before applying for a scholarship.
Applying for studies – required for scholarship eligibility
To apply for this scholarship, you must first have applied for an international degree programme at Lund University that you wish to study and for which you are eligible. Remember to make the programme your first choice in your application account at universityadmissions.se. This will give you the best chance of admission and is a prerequisite for an ARUA Scholarship.
The application deadline for studies is 15 January and the deadline for the application fee and supporting documents is in early February.
See the links below for more information.
Podcast episode: The ARUA Scholarship
Listen to the Lund University International Podcast episode about the new scholarship, featuring staff and alumni (transistor.fm).
Applying for an ARUA scholarship
Once you have received the email with the link to the scholarship application portal in February, you can apply for an ARUA Scholarship. Note that the scholarship portal is different from the national application portal for studies, universityadmissions.se.
Motivation video
You apply online via the Lund University scholarship application portal. To be considered, you must upload a personal 'scholarship motivation video' (maximum 1 minute) to an open source video sharing platform such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc. and include the video link in the application form.
The scholarship motivation video should explain why your academic achievements and reasons for applying to Lund University make you a suitable potential recipient of the ARUA Scholarship.
As the scholarship is merit-based only, your financial situation/challenges are not considered in the selection process, so this should not be included in your motivation video. Instead, you should focus on what makes you a suitable candidate for the programme and the scholarship.
After you have submitted your scholarship application
The scholarship selection process runs in parallel with the programme selection process. Priority will be given to students with strong academic performance, who
- are judged to be a good fit for the programme they have applied for
- show a strong commitment and desire to study at Lund University and
- have selected a programme at Lund University as their first choice when applying at universityadmissions.se.
Results of the scholarship application
If you have applied for the ARUA Scholarship, you will receive an email from Lund University about the scholarship selection shortly after the admission results are announced. If you are selected for a scholarship, the information will include the award amount and further instructions. To receive the scholarship, you must:
- accept the scholarship within the time frame specified in your award letter
- accept your study place at Lund University according to the instructions from Lund University.
Other scholarships
You can only apply for one ARUA Scholarship for the programmes that you have selected at Lund University in a specific application round. However, it is possible to apply for other scholarships, such as the Lund University Global Scholarship and the Swedish Institute scholarships, in addition.