WASCAL Graduate Studies Programme Scholarships in Climate Change
West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL)
Full scholarships for citizens of WASCAL member countries, Ghana included, on eleven doctoral and six master's programmes in climate change at West African universities. Each programme publishes its own call; the 2026/27 informatics master's closed 22 March 2026.
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Eligibility
- Who can apply
- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and 9 more
- Education required
- Bachelors completed
- Fields
- Climate, Environment, Agriculture, Natural sciences, Computer science, Economics
- Language
- "Language of all the programmes is English, but applicants are not rejected should they only have a limited command of the English language. Language training programmes for graduate students are provided for both English and French." The informatics master's call also requires "Proficiency in English Language" and evidence of it.
- Also required
- "Citizen of WASCAL member country" - the January 2026 informatics call lists twelve: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, The Gambia and Togo. The Graduate Studies Programme page lists thirteen, adding Sierra Leone; Sierra Leonean applicants should confirm with WASCAL.
- Master Research Programme in Informatics for Climate Change requires "a minimum of BSc degree (second class upper division) or equivalent" in a listed science, engineering or environmental economics field
- Applications must be submitted through the online form; "Applications sent by email will not be considered" and "Partially completed applications will be automatically rejected"
- Each required document must be attached separately as a single file per document
- Each doctoral and master's programme is hosted at a different lead university in the region and publishes its own call
About this opportunity
WASCAL is a West African international organisation headquartered in Accra, Ghana, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), by multilateral and bilateral partners, and by its West African member countries. Watch the member list: the January 2026 informatics call names "12 West African member countries" - Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, The Gambia and Togo - while the Graduate Studies Programme page itself lists thirteen, adding Sierra Leone, so a Sierra Leonean applicant should confirm eligibility with WASCAL before preparing an application. Its Graduate Studies Programme runs eleven doctoral and six master's programmes in climate change, each hosted at a lead university in the region and each partnered with German universities for curriculum development, visiting professorships and co-supervision. Doctoral programmes cover West African climate systems, water resources, climate change economics, land use, agriculture, biodiversity, disaster risk management and climate change and education; the master's programmes include Informatics for Climate Change and Climate Change and Marine Sciences, alongside four International Master's Programmes in Energy and Green Hydrogen.
The scholarship is a full one. The 2026/2027 call for the Master Research Programme in Informatics for Climate Change, hosted at Universite Joseph KI-ZERBO in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, states that the scholarship includes "monthly stipend to cover accommodation, and living expenses for the period of studies", "payment of university fees", a "research budget" and "a personal laptop computer on loan for the duration of the programme", and that it is "extended every year after successful completion of the study programme". A limited number of self-funded places are offered at 2,290 euros per year. The master's runs 24 months full time and includes four months of language training - English for francophone and lusophone students at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, French for anglophones at the University of Lome in Togo - followed by lectures, a four-month internship or field research, and thesis defence.
Applicants must be citizens of a WASCAL member country with proficiency in English; the informatics programme requires "a minimum of BSc degree (second class upper division) or equivalent in Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Health sciences, Meteorology and Climate science, Geography, Biological sciences, Geoscience, Environmental Economics, Agriculture, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Engineering, Electrical engineering, Electronic Engineering". Applications are online, with degree certificate, transcripts, CV, WASSCE or SSCE certificate (or Baccalaureat for francophone applicants), letter of motivation, certificate of nationality, evidence of English proficiency and one recommendation letter uploaded as separate files. Calls are published per programme on wascal.org - the 2026/2027 informatics call sits under the site's January 2026 uploads and closed in March - so West African graduates should watch that page from around December 2026 for the next fully funded intake.
- Level
- Master's, PhD
- Where
- Multiple countries
- Duration
- Master's programmes 24 months full time; doctoral programmes vary by host university
- Difficulty
- High · about 6 weeks to prepare
Funding
Fully funded
- tuition
- stipend
- research costs
- training
The 2026/2027 informatics master's call (marked "FULL SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE") lists: "monthly stipend to cover accommodation, and living expenses for the period of studies; payment of university fees; research budget; a personal laptop computer on loan for the duration of the programme", and says the scholarship "is extended every year after successful completion of the study programme". No stipend figure is published. Self-funded places are offered at "the rate of 2290 euros per year".
What you will need
- Degree certificate
- Academic transcripts
- CV / résumé
- Motivation letter
- Reference letters (1)
- Passport or national ID
- Language test (e.g. IELTS/TOEFL)
Informatics master's call lists ten items: copy of academic degree, BSc official transcript, detailed CV, WASSCE or SSCE certificate (anglophone) or Baccalaureat (francophone), letter of motivation, employer study-leave letter if employed, certificate of nationality or state of origin, English proficiency test or self-assessment statement, and one recommendation letter with the referee's contact details.
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