12 Fully Funded Africa Climate Collaborative PhD Fellowships 2027 at UCT: Climate and Development Doctoral Programme for African Scholars
Applications are open for 12 fully funded PhD Fellowships in Climate and Development under the Africa Climate Collaborative at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa.
The four-year doctoral training programme is designed to develop a new generation of African researchers capable of addressing some of the continent’s most complex climate and development challenges. Rather than following a conventional PhD structure in which candidates move directly into independent thesis research, the programme combines one year of structured pre-doctoral coursework with three years of supervised doctoral research and skills development.
The opportunity is open only to citizens of African countries, including African citizens currently living outside the continent. Applicants must already hold a relevant Master’s degree and must be under 35 years old as of 1 February 2027. Each candidate may apply to only one of the 19 available research topics, and applicants must meet the disciplinary requirements attached to that specific topic.
Women and candidates with lived experience of displacement or disability are particularly encouraged to apply.
The application deadline is:
15 October 2026 at 23:00 South African Standard Time (SAST).
Official Africa Climate Collaborative PhD Fellowship Page
About the Africa Climate Collaborative PhD Fellowships
The Africa Climate Collaborative is building a doctoral training platform focused specifically on the relationship between climate change and development in Africa.
For the 2027 intake, the programme will award 12 fully funded fellowships. Each fellowship is connected to a defined research area and supervisory team at UCT.
The broader purpose is not simply to produce additional PhD graduates. The programme aims to strengthen Africa’s research capacity by developing scholars who can work across disciplinary boundaries and produce knowledge relevant to real climate and development challenges.
The official call describes the programme as one intended to build a new generation of African scholars addressing the continent’s most pressing climate and development issues.
About the Africa Climate Collaborative
The Africa Climate Collaborative is a Mastercard Foundation-supported initiative involving several major African and international universities.
Its founding partners include:
- University of Cape Town
- University of Cambridge
- University of Ghana
- Makerere University
The Association of African Universities provides coordination.
At UCT, the programme is hosted through the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI). The Collaborative works across areas including workforce development, entrepreneurship, research and innovation, and networks, policy and learning.
The doctoral programme forms part of a wider effort to strengthen Africa’s climate knowledge and skills pipeline and connect young researchers with emerging needs in climate-resilient development and the green economy.
Programme Structure: Four Years of Doctoral Training
One of the distinctive features of the programme is its structured four-year design.
Year 1: Structured Pre-Doctoral Coursework
The first year consists of structured coursework.
Rather than immediately expecting students to operate independently as doctoral researchers, the programme uses this period to establish a stronger academic and methodological foundation.
This is especially valuable for a transdisciplinary programme because participants may arrive from very different backgrounds, including:
- Environmental science
- Geography
- Political science
- Economics
- Development studies
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Engineering
- Statistics
- Education
- Marine science
- Public health
- Innovation studies
The structured first year is intended to help establish shared foundations for studying climate and development.
Years 2–4: Doctoral Research
During years two through four, candidates move into:
- Independent thesis research
- Supervision by the relevant academic team
- Doctoral skills training
The programme therefore combines formal training with the sustained independent research expected of a PhD.
How Many Fellowships Are Available?
There are:
12 fully funded PhD fellowships.
However, applicants can choose from 19 advertised research topics.
This distinction is important. There are more research topics available for application than fellowship places.
Every applicant must select one topic only, and multiple applications from the same candidate may result in disqualification.
Applicants should therefore choose strategically rather than submitting applications to several projects.
19 Available PhD Research Topics
The breadth of the programme is one of its strongest features. Research opportunities cover climate adaptation, cities, health, energy, biodiversity, education, finance, agriculture, water, fisheries and political economy.
The 19 advertised research topics are:
- The politics of care in an African urban flooding-health context
- Managing locust outbreaks under climate change
- Whose energy transition? Multi-level governance of electricity commons for implementing the Paris Agreement in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Who Gets Resilience? Governing Water Infrastructure Investment under Climate Change in African Cities
- How do knowledge and governance together shape urban climate adaptation interventions in southern African cities?
- Sustainable concrete technology for African urbanisation
- An evaluation of energy system impacts (demand and supply) of climate-model-predicted future ENSO swings in Southern Africa
- Detecting and attributing biodiversity change in the Cape Floristic Region using remote sensing and causal inference
- Innovation systems and the climate-compatible transition to electric cooking in Africa
- Innovating equitable, relevant climate and development education in and for Africa
- Participatory modelling and scenario development for climate resilient fisheries in the southern Benguela
- From Site to System: a scale-explicit framework for evaluating climate adaptation in South African fisheries
- Multi-modal remote sensing for smallholder climate resilience: Scaling correlation to prediction and cross-border transferability in sub-Saharan Africa
- Hydrological reorganisation under climate and development pressures: shifting controls on water partitioning across diverse South African landscapes
- Building Climate-Resilient Estuaries in South Africa: A Catchment-to-Coast Nature-Based Solutions Framework for the St Lucia Estuarine System
- Climate-Resilient Blue Bioeconomies: Mapping Indigenous and locally defined ecosystem values contributing to coastal adaptation in South Africa
- Collective Action for Scaling Business Climate Adaptation
- How effective is biodiversity spatial planning in preventing habitat loss and supporting climate-resilient conservation?
- After the policy-bank era: The changing architecture of Chinese power finance in Africa
The complete topic list appears in the official call.
Topic-Specific Academic Requirements Matter
Applicants should not simply select the research title they find most interesting.
The programme explicitly states that each topic is connected to a particular supervisor or supervisory team, and the disciplinary background of that team determines the Master’s-level qualifications expected from applicants.
Candidates should therefore read the detailed project description carefully and apply only where their academic preparation matches the requirements.
This is one of the most important eligibility considerations.
Example: Politics of Care, Urban Flooding and Health
One of the available projects examines:
The politics of care in an African urban flooding-health context.
Supervised by Alice McClure in UCT’s Environmental and Geographical Sciences department, the project examines flooding not merely as an infrastructure or environmental problem but through the social and political organization of care.
It considers how flood-related health risks are experienced through interconnected systems of household, community and institutional care, including in informal settlements such as Khayelitsha.
The project asks questions about:
- How households manage flood-related health impacts
- How community networks redistribute care
- How urban institutions provide or withhold care
- How different scales of care interact
- What these dynamics reveal about urban climate-health adaptation
Suitable Master’s backgrounds include:
- Human Geography
- Anthropology
- Environmental and Geographical Science
- Development Studies
- Urban Studies
- Sustainability Science
- Public Health
- Closely related fields
Strong qualitative and ethnographic research skills are particularly relevant. Experience in participatory research, informal settlements, interdisciplinary work or visual and creative methods is advantageous. Ability to communicate in isiXhosa is also listed as an advantage.
Example: Managing Locust Outbreaks Under Climate Change
Another project focuses on:
Managing locust outbreaks under climate change.
The project investigates the ecological and climatic processes behind major brown locust outbreaks in southern Africa and how future climate change may affect their location, frequency and intensity.
The research will use:
- Statistical analysis
- Mathematical modelling
- Computer simulation
- Causal analysis
- Ecological forecasting
- Adaptive management approaches
Applicants should ideally have a strong quantitative scientific background, particularly experience modelling biological systems.
Strong programming ability in at least one of the following is expected:
- R
- Python
- MATLAB
A strong biological background is also desirable.
Example: Energy Transition and Paris Agreement Implementation
Another research project is:
Whose energy transition? Multi-level governance of electricity commons for implementing the Paris Agreement in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The project addresses the relationship between:
- Energy transition
- Inequality
- Climate justice
- Governance
- Nationally Determined Contributions
- International climate obligations
It asks how existing inequalities influence regional, national and subnational arrangements for implementing climate commitments and considers how commons-based governance principles could support energy and electricity transitions.
Relevant disciplinary backgrounds include:
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Innovation Studies
- Science and Technology Policy Studies
- Economics
- Anthropology
- Geography
- Related disciplines
The Research Programme Is Highly Interdisciplinary
Taken together, the research topics illustrate that this is not a PhD programme limited to traditional climate science.
The fellowship portfolio brings climate change into conversation with issues including:
- Public health
- Urban inequality
- Governance
- Energy transitions
- Political economy
- Education
- Indigenous knowledge
- Coastal adaptation
- Agriculture
- Infrastructure
- Biodiversity
- Fisheries
- Business
- International finance
- Development
- Environmental justice
This creates potential opportunities for applicants whose Master’s degrees are not labelled specifically as “climate change,” provided their disciplinary background matches the requirements of their selected project.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must satisfy several important conditions.
1. Completed Master’s Degree
Applicants must already hold a:
Completed Master’s degree
in a discipline relevant to climate and development in Africa.
More specifically, that degree must match the disciplinary eligibility requirements attached to the research topic selected by the candidate.
This means applicants still completing their Master’s should carefully note that the call specifies a completed Master’s degree.
2. African Citizenship Is Required
The programme is open to:
Citizens of African countries only.
An applicant does not necessarily need to be physically resident in Africa.
African citizens currently studying, working or living outside the continent are explicitly welcome to apply.
Therefore, eligibility is based on African citizenship rather than current residence.
3. Applicants Must Be Under 35
Applicants must be:
Under 35 years old as of 1 February 2027.
Candidates should interpret this requirement carefully when determining eligibility.
4. Apply to One Research Topic Only
Each candidate may submit an application for only:
One of the 19 research topics.
The programme warns that submitting multiple applications may lead to disqualification.
Candidates should therefore compare the projects carefully before choosing.
5. Successful Candidates Must Obtain UCT PhD Admission
Winning the fellowship does not automatically replace UCT’s formal PhD admission process.
Successful fellowship applicants must subsequently:
- Apply for PhD admission at the University of Cape Town; and
- Be formally accepted by UCT.
The programme states that successful fellowship candidates will receive assistance with this application process.
This is an important distinction between the fellowship selection and university admission process.
Women Are Particularly Encouraged to Apply
The programme specifically encourages applications from:
- Women
- Applicants with lived experience of displacement
- Applicants with lived experience of disability
These are encouragement and inclusion priorities rather than exclusive eligibility categories.
Men are not excluded.
Applicants without lived experience of displacement or disability are also not excluded.
What Does “Fully Funded” Cover?
The official fellowship announcement describes all 12 positions as fully funded.
However, the public fellowship page provided for this call does not specify a detailed stipend figure or itemized financial package in the material available here.
Applicants should therefore avoid relying on unofficial claims about the exact:
- Annual stipend
- Tuition allocation
- Research budget
- Medical support
- Relocation support
- Travel allowance
unless those figures are confirmed through official fellowship documentation.
The safest description is that these are fully funded four-year PhD fellowships, while the exact award conditions should be confirmed from the official fellowship offer or programme administrators.
Required Application Documents
Candidates must prepare several documents.
Curriculum Vitae
Applicants must submit a CV of no more than:
Five pages.
The CV must include the names and contact information of:
Three referees.
At least one of those referees must have supervised the applicant’s Master’s dissertation.
Academic Writing Sample
Applicants must submit:
A sample of previous academic or research writing.
The programme indicates that a piece drawn from the applicant’s Master’s dissertation would be particularly appropriate.
Applicants should choose a piece that demonstrates:
- Research ability
- Academic argumentation
- Analytical skill
- Methodological competence
- Clear academic writing
and, where possible, relevance to the selected project.
Academic Transcripts
Applicants must provide transcripts from:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
Successful candidates will later be required to submit certified copies before the fellowship is formally confirmed.
Letter of Motivation
A motivation letter is required.
It should explain:
- Why you are interested in the specific research topic
- Why you want to participate in the programme
- How your previous training relates to the research
- How your experience prepares you for the topic
Because candidates apply to one defined research project rather than proposing an entirely independent PhD topic, the motivation letter should be strongly tailored to that specific project.
Copy of Identification
Candidates must provide a copy of either:
- National ID; or
- Passport
This is particularly relevant because African citizenship is an eligibility requirement.
How to Apply
Applicants should first review all 19 research topics and identify the single project that best matches their academic training, research skills and future interests.
They should then prepare:
- CV of no more than five pages
- Academic or research writing sample
- Bachelor’s transcript
- Master’s transcript
- Motivation letter
- National ID or passport copy
Candidates must clearly indicate which research topic they are applying for.
Complete applications must be submitted through the official online application page.
Application Deadline
The final deadline is:
15 October 2026 at 23:00 SAST.
This is a time-specific deadline, not simply “October 15.”
Applicants outside South Africa should take the time-zone difference into account and submit early.
How to Strengthen Your Application
Because candidates can apply to only one topic, the first strategic decision is choosing the correct project.
Do not select a project only because its title is attractive. Read the disciplinary requirements carefully and choose the opportunity where you can demonstrate the clearest alignment.
Your motivation letter should then explicitly connect three elements:
your previous training → the proposed PhD topic → the research contribution you can make.
For quantitatively oriented projects, highlight relevant modelling, statistical, programming, GIS or data-analysis experience.
For governance and social-science projects, emphasize methodological experience such as:
- Interviews
- Ethnography
- Policy analysis
- Institutional analysis
- Participatory research
- Qualitative coding
- Political-economy analysis
For interdisciplinary projects, demonstrate that you can work beyond the boundaries of your original discipline.
The writing sample is also important. Choose a sample that demonstrates your ability to formulate an argument and conduct research independently rather than simply submitting the most recent piece of writing available.
Finally, contact referees early. Since the CV must contain three referees and one must have supervised your Master’s dissertation, applicants should confirm their willingness before submission.
Key Information at a Glance
Programme: PhD Fellowships in Climate and Development
Institution: University of Cape Town
Programme: Africa Climate Collaborative
Host unit: African Climate and Development Initiative
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Number of fellowships: 12
Funding: Fully funded
Duration: Four years
Year 1: Structured pre-doctoral coursework
Years 2–4: Thesis research and doctoral skills training
Research options: 19 topics
Degree required: Completed relevant Master’s degree
Citizenship: African countries only
Residence: Applicants may live inside or outside Africa
Age: Under 35 as of 1 February 2027
Applications per candidate: One research topic only
UCT admission: Required after fellowship selection; assistance provided
Priority encouragement: Women and applicants with lived experience of displacement or disability
CV limit: Five pages
Referees: Three, including Master’s dissertation supervisor
Deadline: 15 October 2026 at 23:00 SAST
Conclusion
The Africa Climate Collaborative PhD Fellowships in Climate and Development 2027 represent a substantial opportunity for emerging African researchers who want to undertake doctoral research at the intersection of climate change, sustainable development and Africa’s social, political, environmental and economic transformations.
The programme will award 12 fully funded four-year fellowships at the University of Cape Town. Its structure combines a dedicated year of coursework with three years of supervised doctoral research, providing more structured preparation than many conventional PhD programmes.
The 19 available topics demonstrate the breadth of the programme. Candidates can work on questions ranging from urban flooding and public health to climate-resilient fisheries, Indigenous ecosystem values, energy transitions, biodiversity, water infrastructure, climate education, remote sensing, sustainable construction and Chinese power finance in Africa.
Eligibility is nevertheless specific. Applicants must be citizens of an African country, possess a completed Master’s degree that satisfies the requirements of their chosen project, and be under 35 on 1 February 2027. Each candidate may apply for only one topic.
Applicants should therefore spend significant time selecting the research project that best matches their training before preparing the motivation letter and supporting documents.
The programme particularly encourages women and candidates with lived experience of displacement or disability, while remaining open to eligible African candidates more broadly.
Applications close on 15 October 2026 at 23:00 SAST.
To explore more global opportunities, VISIT HERE.
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