The 2025 Brian O’Connell (BOC) Scholarship Programme Call is Now Open for Applications

The SANORD Network invites all eligible students from member institutions to apply for the 2025 Brian O’Connell (BOC) Scholarship Programme.

Philosophy:

SANORD is committed to enhancing the internationalisation experience of students through the BOC Scholarship Programme, which facilitates development through mobility and research collaboration.

The BOC Scholarship Programme aims to provide scholarships to students from SANORD member institutions in the Southern African region to spend 3–5 months at a SANORD Nordic member institution to work on their research and dissertation. The primary focus is academic, and research collaboration based on scholarly merit.

Purpose:

• Support students from SANORD member institutions in undertaking research, studies, or exchange programmes within the network.
• Promote collaboration and partnerships between institutions in Southern Africa and the Nordic countries.
• Enhance capacity building and skills development among scholars and students in areas of mutual interest.
• Foster academic excellence and innovation through cross-cultural and interdisciplinary engagement.

In this regard, SANORD provides partial funding of ZAR 125,000.00 per successful applicant.

Selection Criteria:

Applicants should:

• Be enrolled for a Master’s degree at a Southern African SANORD member university during the year of travel (preferably in the second year).
• Provide a detailed study plan outlining academic activities to be undertaken at the host institution (e.g., courses, research, alignment with host niche areas and SANORD strategic goals, scholarly outputs such as conference presentations, publications, thesis).
• Submit a motivation letter explaining the value of the opportunity for personal and regional development, and how it supports Southern Africa’s knowledge production and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Provide accredited transcripts of records for both Bachelor’s and Master’s studies.
• Provide a written invitation letter from the host institution (with the confirmed duration of stay).
• Submit a letter of support from their supervisor and the relevant dean at the home institution.
• Commit to returning to the home institution after the completion of the programme.
• Sign a binding agreement with the SANORD Central Office (once selected).
• Submit a detailed final report within 1 month of completing the exchange.

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Applicants are required to submit their application through the SANORD Contact Person at their Southern African home institution. The list of contact persons is available on the SANORD website under the Council Map:

Funds will be transferred to the student’s departmental account at the home university. The supervisor or designated faculty member will manage the disbursement and support travel arrangements.

Successful candidates will be responsible for communicating their travel plans to the SANORD Central Office to ensure timely transfer of funds.

The ZAR 125,000.00 scholarship should cover:

• Return economy-class airfare
• Accommodation at the host institution
• Living expenses
• Travel insurance
• Visa costs

To Apply: Complete the application form and upload all supporting documents at: https://form.jotform.com/231972305813051

For queries, contact: sanordcentraloffice@uwc.ac.za

Important Dates:

• Application Deadline: 30 September 2025
• Announcement of Results: 30 October 2025

Checklist of Required Documents:

• Letter of approval from home institution (Supervisor or HOD)
• Invitation letter from host institution (Nordic region)
• Detailed study plan
• Motivation letter
• Accredited transcripts
• Valid passport (valid for at least six months with sufficient pages)

Only complete applications with all required documentation will be considered.

Please ensure that the host institution is also a SANORD Nordic member and that an active student exchange agreement/MoU exists between the institutions, as tuition fees are not covered by the scholarship.