12 Fully Funded Four-year PhD fellowships in Climate and Development at the University of Cape Town (UCT)

The University of Cape Town’s Africa Climate Collaborative Doctoral Training Programme offers up to 12 fully funded four-year PhDs focused on climate and development in Africa.

What it offers

• Up to 12 fellowships per cohort, each lasting four years.
• Annual funding of R390,000, including R315,000 for stipend and fees and up to R75,000 for relocation, insurance, research and other costs.
• Structured training: one year of pre-doctoral coursework followed by three years of doctoral research.
• Additional support for skills development in science communication, publishing, grant writing and career planning.

Who can apply

• Prospective PhD supervisors at UCT propose research topics aligned with climate and development in Africa.
• Topics must be needs- or problem-driven and demonstrate relevance beyond academia.
• Each topic requires at least two supervisors, including a nominated primary supervisor eligible to supervise at UCT.

How to apply

• Submit a PhD topic proposal by 19 August 2026.
• Proposal must include: lead supervisor details, topic title, Head of Department confirmation, co-supervisor information, collaborator details, and a description of research background, aims and problem-driven focus.
• Outcome notifications will be sent by 26 August 2026.
• Shortlisted topics will be advertised externally; prospective students apply for up to three topics and must meet UCT’s PhD admission requirements.