2026 Borel Global Postgraduate Fellows Program at Iowa State University in USA

Location: USA

Program: Postgraduate (Master’s & PhD Programs)

Eligibility: Sub-Saharan African Citizens

Duration: Master’s (up to 30 months) | PhD (up to 60 months)

Deadline: January 15, 2026

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The Borel Global Fellows Program is a prestigious fellowship program at Iowa State University that supports students from Sub-Saharan Africa to pursue graduate studies at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Thanks to a generous gift from ISU alumni Jim (’78 agricultural business) and Marcia (’78 family environment) Borel, the program was launched in 2018 with the mission to help eradicate food and nutrition insecurity while promoting wealth and health for subsistence farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The program seeks to achieve its mission by educating scientists at Iowa State University who will become knowledge leaders that reside and work in Sub-Saharan Africa. By providing comprehensive financial support and world-class education, the Borel Global Fellows Program aims to develop a cadre of educated scientists dedicated to enhancing food security, promoting wealth, and improving health for subsistence farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Benefits of the Fellowship

This fellowship provides comprehensive support including:

Up to $25,000 per year for graduate student stipends
Partial stipend support that can be used flexibly for graduate student stipend and research funding
Travel funding for both the student and their advisor to and from Africa for research purposes
Research support for conducting fieldwork in Sub-Saharan Africa
Access to world-class research facilities at Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Supervision from distinguished faculty members
Integration into Iowa State University’s research community
Professional development opportunities
Mentorship and guidance from experienced faculty
Opportunity to conduct research in home country or region in Sub-Saharan Africa

Stipend can be used to cover:

Accommodation
Tuition
Books and research materials
Other benefits

Also Check:

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Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this fellowship, applicants must:

Be a citizen of a Sub-Saharan African country
Have already been accepted into a graduate program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University
Commit to using their graduate studies as preparation for a career focused on improving food security in Sub-Saharan Africa
Plan to conduct the majority of their graduate research within Sub-Saharan Africa
Intend to live and work in Sub-Saharan Africa upon completing their studies
Be nominated by an Iowa State University faculty member with a majority appointment in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Have a major professor committed to providing remaining required funding
Have a major professor committed to supporting the student’s research in Sub-Saharan Africa

Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.

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Selection Criteria

The selection committee conducts a comprehensive evaluation that considers applicants’ academic excellence, research capability, and the quality and feasibility of their proposed research in Sub-Saharan Africa, while also emphasizing a demonstrated commitment to advancing food security, agricultural development, and poverty alleviation in the region; strong alignment between research goals and the applicant’s long-term intention to live and work in Sub-Saharan Africa; clear, purposeful career objectives; and confirmed support from the major professor—culminating in a holistic assessment of the candidate’s potential to become a future knowledge leader driving sustainable development across the continent.