Applications for the 2013 intake will open on 1 January 2012.

The deadline for submission of applications will be 30 April 2012.

Applicants should note that the Awards programme receives large volumes of applications for its scholarships. Any applications that are incomplete, unsigned, or where the applicant does not meet all the Desired Applicant Profile criteria may be excluded from consideration.

Application Process:

1. Carefully read the information given in PhD Application Pack 2013 Intake – click here to download it in Microsoft Word 1997-2003 format, or click here for PDF format.
2. Review the PowerPoint Presentation with Advice for PhD Applicants.
3. Check your eligibility against the ‘Desired Applicant Profile’ requirements outlined on the second page of the Information Pack.
4. Submit the documents shown in (2) below to the Australia Awards Program Manager at the details given in (6) below by 30 April 2012.  Incomplete applications may be excluded from consideration.
5. Send a ‘proof of submission’ email to AAA as instructed at the bottom of the Preliminary Application Form (PAF) once you have submitted your complete application.  You can download the PhD PAF from (2) below.
6. Candidates directly associated with agricultural research and development efforts supported by one or more of the three Australia-Africa Agricultural Partnerships being funded under the Australian Food Security Program in Africa (ACIAR – CIMMYT; CSIRO – CORAF; and CSIRO – BecA) are encouraged to apply.
7. Eligible nationals of the following countries may apply: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, The Gambia and Uganda.
8. PhD Applicants should carefully read the guidelines set out in the ADS (Scholarships) Handbook (download from here in MS Word format and here in PDF format) and familiarise themselves with the conditions and criteria for a PhD.
9. GRM International (the independent contractor engaged by the Australian Government to assist in implementation of the program) will receive applications from interested candidates by 30 April 2012.
10. Compliance checks and short-listing of candidates for subsequent interview will be undertaken in May. Short-listed candidates will then be interviewed during June or July 2012. The venue for the interview will be confirmed but is expected to be either Accra (Ghana) or Nairobi (Kenya).
11. After the interviews, all interviewees will be given an information session explaining the rest the Australia Awards and visa application processes.
12. Successful awardees will be required to submit a final university transcript and visa application to GRM International by 15 August 2012;
13. A pre-departure briefing for awardees will occur in October 2012. These briefings are expected to be held in Abuja, Accra, Pretoria or Nairobi depending on their country of residence;
14. Awardees will normally commence their academic program in January 2013 in time for the Introductory Academic Program of their institution however some university programs for PhD candidates may commence later than January.

(2) Application Documents

Eligible applicants are invited to forward the following documents for consideration:

• a completed PhD Preliminary Application Form (PAF);
• all other supporting documents as set out in the PAF.

Please click here for the MS Word format PhD PAF for paper-based submissions (i.e. if you wish to fill it out by hand and submit it by post, courier or fax), or click here for the PDF format version.
If you wish to submit your application electronically (paragraph (6) refers), please click here for the MS Word electronic submission version.

Failure to complete the application form and submit all documentation requested may lead to your application being excluded from consideration. No undergraduate or Masters degree nominations will be considered.

(3) ADS Category

Targeted. The targeted category of scholarships is intended to strengthen priority areas of capacity in Africa. Please see the DAP for details.

(4) Priority Sectors

• Agricultural Research.

(5) Closing date for Receipt of Applications

30 April 2012

(6) Address for Application Submissions

Postal Address:
Australia Awards in Africa
c/- GRM International
Bag X38, Hatfield
Pretoria  0028
SOUTH AFRICA

Physical Address (for courier):
Australia Awards in Africa
c/- GRM International
1140 Prospect Street
Building 3, 3rd Floor, Hatfield Square
Hatfield, Pretoria, 0083
SOUTH AFRICA

Note:  If you are going to send your documents by courier, please use the Physical Address, not the Postal Address.  Most courier companies will not – and should not – allow you to specify a PO Box or Bag No. as the delivery address.

Fax: +27 86 602 3719.
Note: Please ensure that each page of your application has your surname and the phrase “PhD Application” written on it if you elect to submit by fax.

Email: applications@adsafrica.com.au
Note: please remember to put your name, country and the words “PhD Application” in the subject line of ALL emails if you submit your application by email.  Please also ensure that the filenames you use for attachments are properly descriptive, to ensure they can be easily filed as part of your application.

(7) English Language Proficiency:

To gain admission to an Australian University, applicants will need to demonstrate a level of English language competency as indicated by the following scores in an IELTS or TOEFL test:

(i) for IELTS, an overall band score of 6.5 or above with no individual band less than 6.0;
(ii) for internet-based TOEFL (iBT), an Overall score of 90 or above, with a written score of no less than 23;
(iii) for paper-based TOEFL (pBT), an Overall score of 577 or above, with a written of 5.0.
Regardless of the test type, it must have been taken no earlier than September 2010.  Test results that are older than 24 months will not be considered current by Australian Universities and will not be valid.

Alternatively, candidates may provide one of the following proofs of English language proficiency.

1. Candidates that have studied at a University within the last five years which instructed in English may present an official letter from that institution indicating that the medium of instruction was English. Click here for an example.
2. Candidates that have been out of University for longer than five years, but have worked recently in a professional environment that used English as the main language, may present a letter signed by their employer confirming that English was the medium of interaction in the workplace. Click here for an example.

In certain cases, Australian Universities may require proof of English even in situations where letters from the University or workplace have been provided.  These English requirements are the policy of the Universities and are not controlled or influenced by AusAID.

For further information on IELTS click here. For further information on the TOEFL test, click here.

Note that in some exceptional circumstances, additional English language training may be available to awardees to be undertaken concurrently with their PhD studies in Australia.

Please click here for a PDF version of the Australian Development Scholarships Handbook.
It details conditions relating to eligibility and payment of entitlements.