Deadline: 25 July 2025 | 5:00 PM GMT
Fully-Funded Master’s Study in Ireland
The Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme, offered by the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa, is now open for applications. Administered by Canon Collins Trust, this prestigious and fully-funded opportunity supports South African students to pursue Master’s-level study in Ireland. The Fellowship is a flagship of the broader Ireland-Africa Fellows Programme, funded by Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs.
The programme is intended for early-career professionals with demonstrated leadership potential who are committed to advancing social justice and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within South Africa.
Key Priorities
- Women’s leadership and participation in STEM fields
- Inclusion of candidates from Universities of Technology and historically disadvantaged institutions
- Promotion of leadership in the public interest
This is a highly competitive programme that offers a life-changing academic and professional development opportunity for the next generation of South African leaders.
Fellowship Benefits
The Kader Asmal Fellowship is fully funded and includes:
- Tuition and university application fees
- Examination and other academic-related costs
- Economy-class return flights to and from Ireland
- Monthly personal living stipend
- Accommodation and settling-in allowance
- Book and study allowances
- Entry visa costs (for the Fellow only)
Please note that the fellowship does not cover dependents, and no financial support or visa sponsorship is provided for spouses or children.
Fields of Study
Twelve annual awards will be made in the following areas (subject to course availability in Ireland’s Higher Education Institutions):
- Climate Change, Resilience, Environment, Sustainable Development, GIS
- Engineering and Sustainable Technology
- Development Studies, Human Rights, Peace Studies, International Relations, Politics, Public Policy
- Law: International Law, Human Rights Law, Business Law
- Health Sciences: Medicine, Pharmacy, Biotechnology
- Education and Educational Policy
- Sociology, Social Research, Social Policy
- Gender, Women’s and Equality Studies
- Digital and Communication Technologies, ICT, Information Systems
- Business and Management: Economics, Project/Strategic Management, Leadership
- Food Systems: Food Science, Engineering, and Industry
- Tourism and Hospitality Management
Additionally, two awards are reserved annually for an LL.M in International and Comparative Law at Trinity College Dublin, in partnership with CASAC (Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution).
For full course eligibility, refer to the Directory of Eligible Programmes provided by the Ireland-Africa Fellows Programme.
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for the 2026 academic year, applicants must:
- Be a South African citizen and resident
- Hold an Honours-level qualification (minimum GPA 3.0 on a 4.0 scale), awarded in 2014 or later
- Have at least two years of relevant work experience (including internships or volunteer roles)
- Not hold a prior Master’s degree
- Be ready to commence a new full-time Master’s programme in Ireland in August/September 2026
- Select two eligible courses from the Programme Directory
- Demonstrate leadership potential and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals
- Meet the academic and English language requirements of the chosen courses
- Not have applied to the Kader Asmal Fellowship more than once before
- Be available to take up the Fellowship during the 2026/2027 academic year
How to Apply
The application process involves two stages, and only Stage 1 applications submitted online will be accepted. Applicants must:
- Carefully read the application guidelines
- Apply via the Canon Collins Trust application portal before the deadline
- Await further instructions if shortlisted for Stage 2
Please do not contact the Irish Embassy regarding the status of your application. All queries and updates will be handled by Canon Collins Trust.
About Canon Collins Trust
The Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust works to build a community of change agents in southern Africa by providing access to postgraduate study and fostering active citizenship. In partnership with the Irish Embassy, the Trust manages the Kader Asmal Fellowship to strengthen Ireland–South Africa development cooperation and promote inclusive leadership.
Apply Now
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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the awarding organization. For any inquiries, please contact the awarding organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
