RAMDDA Project – Drug Design and Discovery
The RAMDDA Project (Research and Academic Mobility for Drug Design and Discovery in Africa) invites applications for twelve (12) MSc Degree-seeking research scholarships to support a two-year research mobility in advanced areas of drug design and discovery.
These scholarships aim to strengthen postgraduate research capacity, promote inter-institutional collaboration, and enhance advanced training in experimental and computational chemistry across Africa.
Host Institutions Available Scholarships
- University of Botswana – 2
- Botswana International University of Science and Technology – 2
- Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) – 3
- Adama Science and Technology University (Ethiopia) – 2
- University of Ghana (Ghana) – 2
- University of the Free State (South Africa) – 1
Total: 12
Scholarship Duration
- Twenty-four (24) months per scholarship
- After successful completion of the program, candidates will receive an MSc degree from the host institution
Eligible Research Areas
Applicants must propose research strictly aligned with drug design and discovery within one of the following disciplines:
- Organic Chemistry
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Synthesis
- Materials Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Computational Chemistry
- Materials Science or related fields in drug design and discovery
- Bioinorganic Chemistry
Interdisciplinary proposals are welcome only if they are clearly focused on drug discovery applications.
Eligibility Criteria
- Be African nationals and residents of an African country
- Be conducting research relevant to drug design and discovery and drug delivery
- Demonstrate that the proposed research will contribute to their MSc thesis
- Be able to undertake a full-time, 24-month research stay at the host institution
Required Application Documents
- Completed RAMDDA Scholarship Application Form (see Downloads page)
- Copy of Passport (biodata pages only)
- Research Proposal prepared using the RAMDDA Proposal Template
- Curriculum Vitae (maximum 4 pages)
- Academic transcripts
- Motivation letter (maximum 1 page)
- Proof of Residence (National ID)
- Language Test Results (if available)
- Certificate of Work Experience (if available)
- List of publications and conference presentations (if any)
- Proof of belonging to disadvantaged group (if applicable)
- Any additional supporting documents
Selection Criteria
- Scientific quality and feasibility of the proposed research
- Relevance to drug design and discovery
- Alignment with RAMDDA research objectives
- Applicant’s academic background, preparedness, and research potential
- Expected contribution to capacity building and collaboration
- Full selection criteria available at www.ramdda.org
- Compliance with postgraduate admission requirements of host universities
As per the funder’s requirements, applicants are not eligible for scholarships in their country of origin. Applications from female candidates and under-represented groups are strongly encouraged.
Financial Support
Each scholarship will provide financial support in accordance with RAMDDA and EACEA mobility rules, covering eligible costs related to the 24-month research stay.
Application Submission
- Submission method: https://apply.ramdda.org/
- Application opens: March 26, 2026
- Application closes: May 5, 2026
- Notification of results: on or before June 10, 2026
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Additional Information
For inquiries and additional information, visit www.ramdda.org or email ramddaorg@gmail.com or admin@ramdda.org.
About RAMDDA
RAMDDA is a collaborative academic mobility and research capacity-building project funded by the European Commission under the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility program, involving the University of Botswana, University of the Free State, Addis Ababa University, University of Ghana, Adama Science and Technology University, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, and University College Cork.