ELIGIBILITY:

The call is open to students who are:

Currently or will be registered in 2026 in a Doctoral or Master’s programme (Masters 2 for Francophone countries) at an African university and conducting dissertation research in the field of either natural or cultural heritage at an African World Heritage Site, or site listed on a national tentative list,

Fluent in English, French, or Portuguese,

Citizens of an African Union Member State which is party to the 1972 World Heritage Convention.

If a student is awarded a grant, he/she is required to submit a longer research description at the beginning of the grant (along with proof of registration for the degree) and, at the end, a final report with the research results or dissertation/thesis at the final stage as well as a financial report. All documents must be presented in either French, English or Portuguese. The projects MUST be implemented between May 2026 and February 2027 (within 9 months). Please note that students who do not complete the research within the contractual timeframe will be required to reimburse the grant to the AWHF.

The application form (English, French and Portuguese versions) can be downloaded below.

Completed applications should be submitted via the Moses Mapesa Grant 2026/27 Application Link before the deadline. No physical copies will be accepted.

BENEFIT:

Grant amounts will vary depending on research proposals, with a maximum award of USD Five Thousand (5,000.00). The fieldwork research needs to be conducted in no longer than 9 months from the signature of the contract (May 2026 to February 2027).