Deadline: April 1 , 2025
The Mandela Scholarship Fund is dedicated to for South African students, who wish to study at Leiden University for one or two semesters. This scholarship offers participants the opportunity to extend their knowledge and contribute to the development of South Africa. Scholarships are awarded to students who are already enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme at a university in South Africa.
Students who are awarded this scholarship will travel to the Netherlands and spend a full semester or two studying at one of the faculties at Leiden University. You may chose a course at one of the following faculties: Archaeology, Humanities, Medicine/LUMC, Governance and Global Affairs, Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Science, Interfacultair Centrum voor Lerarenopleiding, Onderwijsontwikkeling en Nascholing (ICLON), African Studies Centre, International Institute for Asian Studies
Your Stay in Netherlands will last for 5 or 10 months, after which you will return to South Africa to complete your studies. On March 12, 1999, his Excellency President Nelson Mandela of South Africa received an Honorary Doctorate from Leiden University, the Netherlands. To mark this memorable event, Leiden University founded the Mandela Scholarship Fund and to ensure its continuity in the long run.
Benefits
Accepted applicants will be eligible for the following benefits
- Your Tuition fees for a one or two semesters study abroad programme will be provided by the programme
- Usually, exchange students are exempted from tuition fees on the basis of the exchange agreement
- You will receive a monthly Living allowance worth up to € 1,250 per month.
- Selected applicants will receive Insurance coverage. The coverage will be sponsored by AON Student Insurance and arranged by Leiden University’s Scholarships Team
Eligibility
Candidates for this scholarship programme must meet the following conditions
- Applicant for this exchange programme must be permanent residents of South Africa.
- You must be enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme at a selected South African University.
- The scholarship is open to students enrolled at one the following universities: Stellenbosch University, University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria, or University of the Western Cape.
- Candidates must demonstrate the motivation to upgrade or extend their knowledge in order to make a contribution towards the development of South Africa.
- You must be ready to return to south Africa at the end of your exchange, to complete your studies
- Applicants must be applying to study at one of the participating faculties
Application
Interested applicants who meet the programme eligibility criteria must complete their applications for admission using the an online application form. This application form is specific for admissions for an exchange/study abroad course at Leiden University.
Once you have been applied to an exchange/study abroad course, you must then submit your scholarship application to your home university.
Each participating University will review all scholarship applications, make a selection of qualifying candidates and send a list of selected candidates to Leiden university.
For more information, visit the official website here
