icipe Dissertation Research Internship Programme (DRIP) Research Fellowships
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)
MSc and PhD research fellowships at icipe, the pan-African insect science institute in Nairobi, for dissertation research on African agriculture, health and environment. Calls are posted continuously; two MSc calls were open on 11 September 2026, closing 18-21 September.
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Eligibility
- Who can apply
- All nationalities
- Education required
- Bachelors completed
- Fields
- Agriculture, Natural sciences, Environment
- Residency
- Eligibility is set per call and is usually tied to the project's host country; both MSc calls open on 11 September 2026 were East Africa based, and one required the candidate to be already registered for an MSc at a recognised university in Uganda.
- Also required
- Each call sets its own criteria; read the individual call before applying
- Typical MSc call: bachelor's degree in a relevant field with at least second class upper division, already registered for an MSc at a recognised university in the project country, with coursework or year one completed and research outstanding
- Relevant technical experience, for example experimental design, data collection and statistical analysis
- Qualified female candidates, candidates from less privileged regions or groups, and candidates with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply
- Applications must be submitted online through the icipe scholarships portal; email applications are not accepted
About this opportunity
icipe, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, is headquartered in Nairobi and works across Africa on food and nutrition security, human and animal health, environmental sustainability and livelihoods. Its Capacity Building and Institutional Development unit trains African researchers at MSc, PhD and postdoctoral level through the African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Science (ARPPIS), the Dissertation Research Internship Programme (DRIP) and the Postdoctoral Fellowship programme. DRIP fellowships attach a registered master's or doctoral student to a live icipe research project so that their dissertation research is funded, supervised and embedded in an ongoing programme.
The fellowships are advertised continuously on icipe's scholarships portal rather than in a single annual round, and each call is tied to a specific project with its own subject, host country and eligibility. Two MSc research fellowships were open on 11 September 2026: gender policy analysis for agroecology in East Africa under the EU-funded Regional Multi-Actor Research Network on Agroecology in East Africa, which publishes two different closing dates - the portal listing and the call header say 30 September 2026 while the body of that same call says applications should be submitted by 18 September 2026, so work to 18 September; and pollinator biodiversity restoration in smallholder Robusta coffee systems in Uganda, closing 21 September 2026. The portal showed no active PhD calls on that date, so check it regularly rather than waiting for an announcement.
A typical DRIP call asks for a bachelor's degree at second class upper division or better in a relevant field, prior registration for an MSc at a recognised university in the project country with coursework already completed, and relevant methodological experience. Applications go through the online portal only - email applications are not accepted - and require a concise letter of motivation, a detailed CV naming at least two referees, and certified copies of the BSc certificate and transcripts. icipe states that qualified female candidates and candidates from less privileged regions or groups, as well as candidates with disabilities, are especially encouraged to apply.
- Level
- Master's, PhD
- Where
- Multiple countries
- Duration
- Length of the dissertation research attached to the host project; varies by call
- Difficulty
- Medium · about 3 weeks to prepare
Funding
Funding varies
- research costs
Support is set per call and attaches the student to a funded icipe research project; the two MSc research fellowship calls open on 11 September 2026 did not publish a stipend or grant figure on the portal.
What you will need
- Motivation letter
- CV / résumé
- Academic transcripts
- Degree certificate
From the live MSc call: 'A concise letter of motivation, outlining your interest in the position, relevant experience, and willingness to commit full-time'; 'A detailed CV (including academic background, field experience, and software skills; name, contact details, age, gender, and the names of at least two referees)'; 'Certified copies of BSc certificate and transcripts.' Documents must be submitted online at scholarships.icipe.org.
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