CEGA Fellowship Program: 2025-2026 Request for Applications
Overview
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) invites African researchers to apply to our 2025-2026 Fellowship Program Request for Applications (RFA). In this call, CEGA invites researchers from East and West Africa interested in developing their skills in quantitative social science research (including impact evaluation) to apply for a 16-week in-person fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley (offered both Fall 2025 and Spring 2026) or at Northwestern University (offered Spring 2026 only). For this upcoming call, interested applicants can apply to 1 of 3 research tracks: General Development Research, Early Childhood Development, or Youth Livelihoods.
Selected researchers will audit coursework, develop skills in quantitative development research, access a personalized mentorship program to develop their research ideas, and build their research networks.
To be eligible, researchers must be from East or West Africa and be affiliated with a research institution, university, or other organization headquartered in Africa and have recently completed a Master’s degree or PhD (or PhD in progress) in economics, statistics, epidemiology/public health, or another social science discipline.
The application deadline is 5:00 PM GMT on January 17, 2025.
Eligibility
Applicants to the CEGA Fellowship Program must:
- Be fluent in English (written and spoken), and a strong communicator.
- Be from an East African or West African country and have completed secondary school education in an African institution.
- Be an early career scholar, as defined by recently having completed a Master’s degree or a PhD, or be currently enrolled in a PhD program in economics, political science, statistics, epidemiology/public health, education, or another social science discipline. Preference will be given to those who are currently enrolled or have finished their PhD within the last 8 years.
- Hold a current staff or student position with a research institution (university or other research organization) in East or West Africa, preferably one that supports policy-relevant, quantitative social science research;
Additional criteria for Fellows who are applying to the following tracks:
- Early Childhood Development (ECD) Track: Fellows in the ECD track will be supported to study the effectiveness of programs that support good health, adequate nutrition, safety and security, responsive caregiving, and opportunities for early learning—especially for children 0-3 years of age. For this track, we will prioritize fellows who are from and conducting relevant research in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Kenya.
- Youth Livelihoods Track: Fellows in the Youth Livelihoods track will study the effectiveness of programs designed to help young people (ages 16-24) find meaningful work by delivering education, skills training, and comprehensive support. For this track, we will prioritize fellows who are from and conducting relevant research in Kenya – especially in the city of Mombasa.
Please direct any questions about eligibility to our staff team at global-networks-cega@berkeley.edu.
Application Process
To respond to the 2025-2026 CEGA Visiting Fellowship Request for Applications (RFA), please submit the following information and documents through this Submittable portal by Friday, January 17, 2025 at 5 pm GMT:
- Personal Statement (1 page): Please describe your personal motivations for applying to the CEGA Visiting Fellowship–of all fellowships available to you, why are you particularly interested in this program? What do you hope to accomplish during the fellowship and beyond? Please also comment on your ability to commit to the fellowship and how this will fit into your current commitments.
- Curriculum Vitae/Resume: In your CV, please also include relevant quantitative coursework you have completed.
- Research Proposal: Not to exceed 2 pages. Refer to this template or see this example. [Please note that this example does not align exactly with the template questions, but is a strong proposal. You should try to frame your proposal according to the template provided] During the fellowship, you should work on the proposal you have submitted unless you decide to change it (with agreement from CEGA staff and your mentor).
- Evidence of Leave Approval or Letter of Support from the applicant’s supervisor or department chair demonstrating support and certifying that, if the applicant is selected, he/she will be able to take a 4-month leave of absence. See example.
- Name and contact information for two references: Please provide a name, email, phone number, and affiliation for two individuals (supervisors, senior colleagues, professors) who can speak to your research capacity, quantitative skills, and qualifications for the CEGA fellowship.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
- I am from South, Central, or North Africa. Can I apply?
Currently, our opportunity is only for those from East and West Africa, however, we hope to open up further in the future.
2. Do I need to hold a Ph.D. to apply for the CEGA fellowship program?
No. Applicants to the CEGA Visiting Fellowship must have completed at minimum a Master’s degree in economics, statistics, epidemiology/public health, or another social science discipline.
3. Can I apply if I completed my PhD more than 8 years ago?
The requirement for candidates to have completed their PhD less than 8 years ago allows us to gauge which candidates are early career researchers. If you completed your PhD more than 8 years ago, but believe you can benefit from this fellowship, please explain this in your personal statement. Please note that preference will be given to candidates who are earlier on in their academic careers.
4. I’m from an eligible East or West African country, but am currently based in Europe/East Asia/ U.S. etc. Am I eligible to apply?
Yes, as long as you hold a staff or student position in an eligible East or West African country and have plans to return to the country to do research.
5. My project is in the early stages and I have plans for future data collection. Can I still apply?
We will accept candidates with strong ideas and research proposals, whether the project is in early or advanced stages. Some fellows may be refining their research design and planning to collect data through either primary or secondary sources; while other fellows may be analyzing data and working on a draft paper. We will tailor the fellowship’s deliverables according to the stage of the project.
6. Can I apply for more than one research track?
The application portal allows you to select only one track. If your research aligns with either the ECD or Youth Livelihoods tracks (both in thematic and geographic focus), you are encouraged to select the respective track. If your research falls outside of those tracks, you may select the General Development Research track. If you select one track, and we find that you are better suited for a different track, we will consider you under the more appropriate track.
7. What criteria are considered in the selection process?
The review committee will look for demonstrated knowledge of quantitative research and familiarity with impact evaluation methods, commitment to evidence-informed policy, and commitment to building the capacity of Global South researchers and/or institutions. The review committee will also note your motivations for the fellowship and alignment with your career goals.
8. Do I need to secure my own housing and flights?
If you are selected for the fellowship, CEGA staff will secure housing on your behalf at the International House at UC Berkeley, and Northwestern staff will secure housing at McManus Hall. For flights, you will have the opportunity to select your preferred itinerary and CEGA/GPRL will make the booking for you as well as pay for your flights.
9. Can I bring my family with me?
We understand that it can be difficult to be far from family. In certain exceptional instances, it is possible to bring family members, but the fellow will be responsible for all their costs (including visas, flights, accommodation, health insurance, food, etc).
10. Does the fellowship program provide a salary?
The fellowship covers candidates’ roundtrip flights, accommodation, meals, visa fees and health insurance for the duration of the fellowship period. In addition, fellows receive a small stipend of XX Amount for miscellaneous expenses, and may be sponsored to visit other university campuses. However, the fellowship does not provide a salary for fellows’ time. Fellows will need to make arrangements with their university/organization to take leave with or without pay for the duration of the fellowship.
11. What is CEGA’s policy on travel to present at conferences during the resident fellowship?
We are very supportive of fellows attending conferences where they’ve been selected to present their research, as it aligns with their professional development and the goals of the fellowship! It is essential to let CEGA program staff know as soon as possible about this opportunity. If you are selected to present during the fellowship, we ask that you follow the following guidelines:
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- Inform CEGA/Northwestern staff as soon as this is a potential possibility, to ensure the dates do not conflict with program activities and will not affect your J-1 visa (international conferences may not be possible to present on your visa).
- Confirm expenses are covered by the conference organization or yourself (CEGA and Northwestern do not have additional resources to support this during the fellowship).
Separately, CEGA/GPRL organize visits to other campuses, where fellows may have the opportunity to present, in addition to the final presentation fellows will make at the end of their fellowship.
12. Do fellows continue to be engaged with CEGA/GPRL following the fellowship?
Yes! CEGA and GPRL maintain relationships with alumni of the fellowship program through their membership in the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA). In addition to being eligible for funding opportunities as specified above, we share relevant research opportunities or collaborations, tap fellows’ expertise for new projects and follow up on past projects.
13. What are some expectations of fellows post-fellowship?
We hope that fellows will remain closely connected to members of NIERA, share opportunities from their institutions/networks, collaborate on projects, and offer expertise to CEGA as needed. There are also reporting requirements for pilot and catalyst grants funded by CEGA/GPRL that fellows are expected to adhere to.
14. Can you accommodate individuals with disabilities?
Absolutely! UC Berkeley has a Disabled Students Program and Northwestern University has an Accessibility Department with a robust range of support services and campus resources. We are committed to providing an accessible program.
15. Is there an age limit to apply for the fellowship?
No, there is no age limit to apply for the fellowship.
Learn more and get your questions answered by our program administrators and from a CEGA fellow. Please attend the webinar info session on December 5th at 9 AM PST / 7 PM EAT / 4 PM GMT.
Webinar registration link: go.cega.org/FellowshipInfosession
Event page: https://cega.berkeley.edu/event/fellowship-infosession/
