Eni Scholarships

St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, in partnership with the international integrated energy company Eni, is offering up to three students from Angola, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, or the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) the opportunity to study for a fully funded degree in 2017/18.

About the scholarship

This scholarships will allow St Antony’s to admit up to three of the best African students irrespective of means and will add immeasurably to the diverse and intellectual character of the College. This is part of a joint initiative between Eni & St Antony’s College to invest in and strengthen African leadership.

St Antony's and Eni are equally keen to provide encouragement and where possible, structured incentives for Eni Scholars to continue their studies or find useful employment back in their home country after graduating from Oxford. Discussions about this are ongoing and scholars will be informed of relevant contacts and partnerships as they emerge.

Am I eligible?

The scholarships are open to applicants who are ordinarily resident in Angola, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). Preference will be given to applicants whose first degree is from an African university.

The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of both academic merit and potential and financial need. Preference will be given to applicants who have clear ambitions to use their accumulated learning to benefit their home country after graduation.

Please ensure you meet the requirements for entry to your course, including English language requirements. See the University's course guide for more information.

Applicants must apply for admission to one of the following eligible courses:

1 year Master’s courses

• MSc African Studies
• MSc Economic & Social History
• MSc Economics for Development
• MSc Global Governance and Diplomacy

What does it cover?

100% of university and college fees, and an annual grant for living costs of £14,057 for 12 month courses and £10,722 for 9 month courses (2015/16 rate). The stipend for courses with different durations will be adjusted accordingly. 

The scholarship also covers one economy return airfare from your home country to the UK at the start and end of your course.

How do I apply?

In order to be considered for the scholarship, please follow these three steps:  

1. Read the information on this webpage carefully.   
2. Apply online to the University of Oxford for one of the eligible courses as listed above. You must submit your application for graduate study to the University by the January deadline (6 or 20 January 2017 depending on the programme you apply to - please check the University's guidance on application deadlines) and you must have secured a place on your chosen programme of study by the expected final decision date (17 March 2017). It would help if you select St Antony's College in the college choice section of the application form, though this is not compulsory.
3. Once you have applied to the University, please complete the online Eni Scholarship application form (available at: https://weblearn.ox.ac.uk/direct/eval-evaluation/14046)  The deadline for submission of the form is 12 noon, UK time, on Friday 17 March 2017.

Please note that incomplete and ineligible applications will not be considered for an Eni Scholarship. 

How will I know if I have been successful?

We expect to be able to email successful candidates by the end of May 2017. If you have not been contacted by then, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion. 

Further information

If you have any questions about this scholarship which are not answered above, please email the Deputy Registrar.

Africa Early Years Fellowship

The World Bank Group’s Early Learning Partnership (ELP) is launching the Africa Early Years Fellowship to recruit a cadre of young African professionals to support governments and World Bank teams to scale up investments in the early years.  This new initiative is complementary to the WBG Africa Fellowship Program, which is targeting Ph.D. students from Sub-Saharan Africa who are interested in starting careers with the World Bank Group.

The Africa Early Years Fellowship will recruit promising young professional who will work in their home countries to build capacity in countries to ensure Africa’s children reach their full potential.  In Sub-Saharan Africa, 80 percent of children under five years of age are not enrolled in pre-primary programs and malnutrition still prevails. ELP works closely with country governments and World Bank country teams to promote investments in the early years and support early learning and early childhood development (ECD). 

About the Fellowship

Approximately 10 fellows will be selected and hired as short-term consultants for one year beginning early 2017, with the possibility of being renewed for a second year.

Fellows will receive ongoing training and work experience across relevant sectors, including education, health, nutrition and social protection.  The Fellowship will include a brief orientation at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and fellows will also benefit from ongoing professional development and mentoring from WBG staff.  Fellows will be based in select countries in Africa, with the expectation that Fellows continue working in-country after the Fellowship conclusion.

Specific duties may include:

• Support World Bank teams to design or implement operations in ECD/early learning or a related field
• Support country and core teams in activities associated with the World Bank’s Investing in the Early Years initiative
• Support countries’ early learning research agenda associated with the World Bank’s Early Learning Systems Research Program  
• Contribute to analytical work in ECD/early learning or related fields
• Coordinate initiatives to strengthen the capacity of local academic institutions in early learning and ECD

Each Fellow will have a work program focused on one or two countries, and will be based in one of the following priority countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.

Who Should Apply

Interested candidates should be based in-country, or willing to relocate with minimum or no compensation.

• African nationals 25-40 years of age
• Educational and professional experience in ECD/early learning
• Graduate degree in a relevant field (including education, economics, statistics, health and nutrition, and social service) AND at least 3 years of professional experience in education, health and nutrition or social protection, with preference for previous work in ECD/early learning; OR
• Undergraduate degree in a relevant field (including education, economics, statistics, health and nutrition, and social service) AND at least 5 years of professional experience in education, health and nutrition or social protection, with preference for previous work in ECD/early learning
• Functional experience in economics, evaluation, project design and operations, policy dialogue, or advocacy desired
• Experience in the public sector, civil society, or multilateral organization preferred
• Demonstrated interest in ECD/early learning
• Demonstrated high potential and commitment to ECD and/or human development in Africa
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong written communication skills and ability to work well in teams, including with senior officials
• Ability to work effectively remotely
• Fluency in English required of all candidates; fluency in French or Portuguese required of candidates interested in working in francophone/lusophone countries

Selection Process

To apply, please submit a completed application form and resume by October 20, 2016. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Fellows will be selected by December 2016 and will start work in early 2017.