African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Fully Funded Scholarship Program 2017 for Study in Canada

The African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program commemorates the late Nelson Mandela’s commitment to social justice and equity. It supports young African professionals to become leaders in public policy and administration.

Competition 2017, to select scholars for the third year of the program, is now open.

The ALT Scholarship Program grants full scholarships based on merit to women and men from sub-Saharan Africa to pursue a Master’s degree in public administration, public policy or public finances in Canada.

The ALT Scholarship Program has two components:
An academic component: The scholars will complete a one to two year Master’s level program in public administration, public policy or public finance at a Canadian university;

A professional development component in which the scholars will:

• Put together a comprehensive professional development plan;
• Develop a case study focusing on their home country;
• Be mentored by a Canadian expert;
• Participate in webinars and networking events.

The ALT scholarship includes:

• Return airfare (at the beginning and at the end of the program)
• Tuition fees
• Monthly living allowances and installation allowance
• Fixed allowance to cover purchase of books and attend conferences in Canada
• Health insurance coverage
• Fees for study permit

Are you eligible for the ALT Scholarship Program?The ALT Scholarship Program grants full scholarships based on merit to women and men from sub-Saharan Africa to pursue a Master’s degree in public administration, public policy or public finances in Canada.

You must meet ALL the requirements to be eligible:

• Be a citizen AND resident of sub-Saharan Africa;
• Be between 22 and 35 years old (at the beginning of the study program);
• Have completed a university degree meeting the minimum academic requirements for admission into a Master’s degree in Canada (a minimum average of B [75%] – check equivalencies at bottom of this page);
• Have a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years of full-time work experience in the public sector, civil society sector or a research institute in Africa;
• Be fluent in  French or English;
• Meet all the academic requirements of the study program of choice.

You are not eligible if:

• You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or you have applied for permanent residency in Canada.
• You are already enrolled in a degree or any program of study at a Canadian university.
• You are currently employed by the Government of Canada.

Selection Criteria
Eligible candidates with complete files will be assessed against the following criteria by a national selection committee:

• Academic merit;
• Professional experience;
• Relevance and merit of the case study;
• Recommendation letters;
• Demonstrated leadership capacity; and
• Potential contribution to public administration and public policy upon the candidate’s return to his/her home country.

In awarding the scholarships, considerations will be given to gender equity and equitable representation from across sub-Saharan Africa

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) manages the ALT Scholarship Program in partnership with the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) and in collaboration with the African Association of Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) and the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration