Overview
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) invites African researchers to apply to our 2025-2026 Fellowship Program Request for Applications (RFA). In this call, CEGA invites researchers from East and West Africa interested in developing their skills in quantitative social science research (including impact evaluation) to apply for a 16-week in-person fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley (offered both Fall 2025 and Spring 2026) or at Northwestern University (offered Spring 2026 only). For this upcoming call, interested applicants can apply to 1 of 3 research tracks: General Development Research, Early Childhood Development, or Youth Livelihoods.
Selected researchers will audit coursework, develop skills in quantitative development research, access a personalized mentorship program to develop their research ideas, and build their research networks.
To be eligible, researchers must be from East or West Africa and be affiliated with a research institution, university, or other organization headquartered in Africa and have recently completed a Master’s degree or PhD (or PhD in progress) in economics, statistics, epidemiology/public health, or another social science discipline.
The application deadline is 5:00 PM GMT on January 17, 2025.
Eligibility
Applicants to the CEGA Fellowship Program must:
Be fluent in English (written and spoken), and a strong communicator.
Be from an East African or West African country and have completed secondary school education in an African institution.
Be an early career scholar, as defined by recently having completed a Master’s degree or a PhD, or be currently enrolled in a PhD program in economics, political science, statistics, epidemiology/public health, education, or another social science discipline. Preference will be given to those who are currently enrolled or have finished their PhD within the last 8 years.
Hold a current staff or student position with a research institution (university or other research organization) in East or West Africa, preferably one that supports policy-relevant, quantitative social science research;
Additional criteria for Fellows who are applying to the following tracks:
Early Childhood Development (ECD) Track: Fellows in the ECD track will be supported to study the effectiveness of programs that support good health, adequate nutrition, safety and security, responsive caregiving, and opportunities for early learning—especially for children 0-3 years of age. For this track, we will prioritize fellows who are from and conducting relevant research in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Kenya.
Youth Livelihoods Track: Fellows in the Youth Livelihoods track will study the effectiveness of programs designed to help young people (ages 16-24) find meaningful work by delivering education, skills training, and comprehensive support. For this track, we will prioritize fellows who are from and conducting relevant research in Kenya – especially in the city of Mombasa.
Please direct any questions about eligibility to our staff team at global-networks-cega@berkeley.edu.
Application Process
To respond to the 2025-2026 CEGA Visiting Fellowship Request for Applications (RFA), please submit the following information and documents through this Submittable portal by Friday, January 17, 2025 at 5 pm GMT:
Personal Statement (1 page): Please describe your personal motivations for applying to the CEGA Visiting Fellowship–of all fellowships available to you, why are you particularly interested in this program? What do you hope to accomplish during the fellowship and beyond? Please also comment on your ability to commit to the fellowship and how this will fit into your current commitments.
Curriculum Vitae/Resume: In your CV, please also include relevant quantitative coursework you have completed.
Research Proposal: Not to exceed 2 pages. Refer to this template or see this example. [Please note that this example does not align exactly with the template questions, but is a strong proposal. You should try to frame your proposal according to the template provided] During the fellowship, you should work on the proposal you have submitted unless you decide to change it (with agreement from CEGA staff and your mentor).
Evidence of Leave Approval or Letter of Support from the applicant’s supervisor or department chair demonstrating support and certifying that, if the applicant is selected, he/she will be able to take a 4-month leave of absence. See example.
Name and contact information for two references: Please provide a name, email, phone number, and affiliation for two individuals (supervisors, senior colleagues, professors) who can speak to your research capacity, quantitative skills, and qualifications for the CEGA fellowship.
Link to apply: https://cega.berkeley.edu/rfp/cega-fellowship-program-2025-2026-request-for-applications/