TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship Program: Applications for 2024-2025 Intake Now Open

1.0 Background

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation and several esteemed universities across Africa, is launching the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) program. This 10-year initiative (2023-2033) aims to strengthen universities and technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions to empower young Africans and their institutions in driving inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient transformations in agriculture and agrifood systems. The program offers scholarships to economically disadvantaged yet academically competent African students to support them in completing their studies. Both female and male applicants are welcome, with special encouragement for applications from females, refugees, and persons with disabilities.

2.0 Applicable Universities in this Call for Application

Scholarships for the academic year 2024/2025 are available at Gulu University (Uganda) and Egerton University (Kenya) only.

3.0 Eligible Programs

The following programs have been prioritized by the two universities for the academic year 2024/2025:

a) Gulu University

• Undergraduate:
  • BSc. Agriculture
  • BSc. Food Bioscience and Agribusiness
  • BSc. Biosystems Engineering
  • BSc. Agrientrepreneurship and Communication Management
• Masters:
  • MSc. Food Security and Community Nutrition
  • MSc. Agri-Enterprises Development
  • MSc. Agronomy
  • MSc. Biosystems Engineering

b) Egerton University

• Undergraduate:
  • BSc. Agricultural Education and Extension
  • BSc. Science in Agriculture
• Masters:
  • MSc Agri Enterprise Development
  • MSc Environmental Studies

4.0 Who is Eligible to Apply

This scholarship opportunity is open to East African nationals and refugees residing within Kenya and Uganda. Refugees and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply. Applicants must qualify for admission into undergraduate and/or postgraduate programs at Gulu University and/or Egerton University as listed above. Applicants already holding any form of scholarship are not eligible. Double scholarship holders, if identified, will be automatically discontinued.

5.0 Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following key eligibility criteria:

• Be nationals of Kenya and Uganda to benefit from the respective national scholarship quotas.
• Be refugees residing in Uganda and Kenya to benefit from a regional quota.
• Come from economically disadvantaged, marginalized communities, or conflict/post-conflict areas.
• Be under 25 years old for undergraduate and under 30 years old for master’s studies at the time of application.
• Be under 29 years old for refugees and persons with disabilities for undergraduate studies and under 34 years old for refugees and persons with disabilities for master’s studies at the time of application.
• Have completed secondary school and/or diploma for a Bachelor’s degree application not more than two years prior to this call.
• Meet admission criteria for eligible programs at the university of choice (Egerton University or Gulu University).
• Demonstrate interest in agriculture, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship.
• Demonstrate leadership qualities and commitment to humanity’s service.

6.0 What the Scholarship Covers

This comprehensive scholarship covers tuition fees, research costs, workshop and conference costs, living expenses (including stipend and hostel), laptop, internship attachment, community engagement and field attachment, and entrepreneurship training. Successful applicants are expected to become high achievers, actively engaged students/graduates, and change-makers contributing to community outreach services and job creation.

7.0 Nature of the Scholarship

This scholarship program includes direct and indirect costs covered by the implementing university and RUFORUM. Direct costs for student training will be transferred to the university as a grant payable to the university. Scholarships are renewed annually based on satisfactory academic performance. Misconduct or falsification of information will result in disqualification and loss of the scholarship.

8.0 Application Process

All applications must be submitted to the respective university of choice:

Egerton University Prof. Nancy W. Mungai TAGDev Program Coordinator, Egerton University TAGDev Office, Physics Block, First Floor P.O Box 536-20115, Egerton – Njoro, Kenya Tel: +254 711 68 9880 or +254 720 390 893 Email: mcf.chs@egerton.ac.ke

Gulu University Academic Registrar, Gulu University Awich Road, Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu City P.O.Box 166 Gulu, Uganda Tel: +256-471-433573 Email: ar@gu.ac.ug

For additional information about the scholarship at Gulu University, please contact: Prof. Duncan Ongeng TAGDev Programme Coordinator, Gulu University Tel: +256782673491 Email: mcf.agric@gu.ac.ug

How to Submit Your Scholarship Application Online

Applicants are encouraged to fill out the online application and print it out to attach to their application for admission to the university of choice. The procedure for submitting the TAGDev 2.0 scholarship application through the RUFORUM Information Management System (RIMS) is as follows:

1. Access the RIMS Web Portal through; https://rims2.ruforum.org/
2. Create your account by clicking on Register Here
3. An email will be sent to your valid email address to activate your account. Please check in the Spam or Junk for message incase activation mail is not refelected in your inbox.
4. Login using your email and password you used for creating.
5. After successful login, the Applicant Dashboard will appear with different options.
6. Go to Calls – > Scholarship Calls
7. Select the Call ID : RU/2024/TAGDev-2.0/001
8. Click Apply to start filling the Application Form.
9. Remember to save while filling the form by “Clicking Save Draft”
10. Download, print and submit it with your application form for admission to the University of your choice.
11. Depending on the University you are applying to, you may either submit the document in hard copy or simply attach it on the univeristy online portal.
12. For any assistance, kindly contact the administrator at mcf@ruforum.org

Key Virtual Information Session Days

Attend virtual information sessions on Fridays, June 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th, 2024, starting at 16:00 Hrs East African Time.

ZOOM MEETING CODE

Meeting ID: 814 4276 4525

Passcode: 802022

For more information, visit here.