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DevNews Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire
EAC Opens Applications for Up to 120 KfW-Funded Master's Scholarships
ARUSHA, Tanzania — 13 August 2026
The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) has announced up to 120 fully funded master's scholarships under the fourth cohort of the EAC-KfW Scholarship Programme, creating a new regional pathway for young professionals to study in an EAC Partner State other than their country of citizenship.
The programme was announced on 13 August, with applications scheduled to open on 20 August 2026 and close on 10 September 2026 at 17:00 EAT.
The scholarships are open to nationals of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda who are below 35 years of age.
Eligible fields include mathematics, engineering, informatics, science, technology and business science. Successful applicants must study in another EAC country rather than their own.
The programme is funded by Germany through KfW and implemented by IUCEA as part of the wider EAC Scholarship Programme. The initiative is designed to strengthen human capital while using education to deepen regional integration.
The scholarship model has a strategic development dimension. Instead of treating higher education as purely a national investment, students are encouraged to study across borders, exposing them to different institutions, professional networks and regional perspectives.
IUCEA says the programme has already supported 180 master's students through its first phase, while Phase II is expected to support at least 280 students across three cohorts.
For East Africa, the value extends beyond the number of scholarships. Regional skills shortages in technology, engineering, science and business remain a constraint to transformation, while labour and knowledge mobility are increasingly important to integration.
The programme therefore combines education, skills development and regional integration within a single investment.
Source: Inter-University Council for East Africa / KfW
DevNews Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire
Photo/Courtesy/ EAC Secretariate
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