Deadline:
February 07, 2025
Location(s)
United Kingdom
Overview
In 2020, the Trust has awarded over 20 new Scholarships at British and South African universities, by means of generous academic partnerships with leading institutions.
Details
Beit Joint University Partnerships
The Beit Trust has partnership agreements with the universities below. This enables the Trust to share costs, and to increase the number of scholarships it can fund. For this reason, only applicants with acceptances from the universities listed will be eligible for Beit Scholarships.
There are six universities in the United Kingdom: Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow (bio-medical disciplines only), Leeds, Oxford and Strathclyde (engineering disciplines only).
There are currently four active partners in South Africa: Rhodes, Stellenbosch, UCT and Wits.
These partnerships allow us to award joint scholarships (e.g. Beit-Cambridge, Beit-UCT, etc.), and may change from time to time. Applicants must first apply to, and be accepted by, a Beit partner university before applying to the Trust for a scholarship.
Beit Trust Scholarships are for Postgraduate degrees. We do not provide scholarships for undergraduate work.
Our postgraduate focus is on Master’s Degrees. The universities above offer a one-year taught Master’s in the UK; and a two-year taught Master’s in South Africa. Both have a research dimension and the applicant must have obtained Honours at undergraduate level.
We do not offer scholarships for Ph.D. research ab initio. Only under exceptional circumstances, and for Beit scholars of outstanding merit, will the Trustees consider extending support to Ph.D. level.
By Act of Parliament, the Beit Trust supports ONLY students who are nationals of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi, and who currently live there. In addition, the Trust cannot consider applications from those who have already begun a course.
All applicants (except medical and veterinary doctors) must be under 30 years of age on 31 December of the year of application. Some experience of work after completion of a first degree is strongly recommended. Doctors and vets must be under 35 years of age on 31 December of the application year. They should have completed 18 months of internship, and a one-year, preferably rural, posting in the relevant country.
The Trust does not consider applicants for MBAs.
How to apply for a Beit Trust Scholarship
Due to the South African University application process opening after our Scholarship application deadline of 7 February 2025, we will accept scholarship applications for South African Universities for the year 2026/2027 without a confirmed offer.
Please follow steps 3 to 7 above. Where you are asked to upload your university offer letter, please provide instead the details of the courses and universities that you will be applying for, in PDF format. Your scholarship application will then be considered alongside the applicants for UK universities, as part of the same entry year cohort.
The Trust will sift your application as part of our selection process. If you are successful and shortlisted for an interview, you will go to the relevant Beit Trust national scholarship board.
If you are then offered a scholarship from the Trust – and not all those selected for interview receive an offer – you will then need to apply for entry to a South African Partner University (as set out in our website). You may indicate in your application that you have been awarded a Beit Scholarship.
Should you get an offer, we ask that you submit it to us as soon as you receive it. Should you not be successful in obtaining an offer, the scholarship will not, unfortunately, be available to you.
- The Trust will shortlist the most qualified for interview by our national scholarship boards in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. The boards sit during April each year.
- Resources are limited and the scholarship process competitive. Not all those interviewed will be selected for a Scholarship.
- But an interview is essential to selection. Please ensure that you are able to attend in person and in country of citizenship if you are invited to an interview.
- The Trust will notify those selected for interview of the date, time and place.
- The Trust will give particular weight to those who have:
- work or other professional experience;
- demonstrated a capacity to become leaders in their field;
- chosen a degree of direct and practical relevance to the development of their country;
- stated an intention to return to their country at the completion of their degree.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Eligibility Requirements
Please read this section carefully. It will have a material effect on how your application is sifted and therefore on your chances of obtaining a Beit Scholarship.
By Act of Parliament, the Beit Trust supports ONLY applicants who are nationals of Zambia, Zimbabwe or Malawi, who are permanent residents, live there and/or intend to return to their country after their studies.
The following criteria are all considered when assessing your application:
- Academic Capability: we look first at those with a Distinction or Merit (Upper Second Class) in their undergraduate degree. Those with Lower Second Class or Credit/Pass degrees, while not ineligible to apply, will struggle to beat the competition. We understand, however, that some medical degrees are not graded in this way.
- Those who already hold a postgraduate degree are likely only in the most exceptional cases to be considered for a Beit Postgraduate Scholarship. The Trust usually decides to offer the opportunity to worthy candidates who do not already have a postgraduate qualification.
- Professional Work Experience: important in the award of a scholarship. This should be relevant to the proposed field of study. As a guide, at least three years’ work experience, backed by a positive employer’s reference, can boost an application. The Trust values work experience in itself, but also as an index to leadership potential in your chosen field.
- Voluntary Work: our application form asks about this, as evidence of pro bono engagement with your community. This is not however essential, and is not in itself a sufficient alternative to professional work experience.
- Leadership Qualities: these are important to the Trust, as an indication of your ability to contribute to economic and social uplift, to the benefit of the people of your country.
- References: these help us make a rounded assessment of you on paper. Referees are most effective when they can point to evidence-based examples of leadership, achievement and professional potential beyond the ordinary.
- Relevance of your proposed course of study: the Trust’s focus is on developmental academic disciplines: i.e. those which contribute to the advancement of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi in fields such as medicine, health, engineering, education, economic growth, agriculture and conservation. These categories are not exhaustive. The Trust does not consider applications for MBAs.
- Return to your own country: your stated willingness to do this is important.
- Choice of university: you must apply only within our partner universities, listed in the next section. Applying for more than one provides a better chance of selection.
- Doctors and Vets should have completed 18 months of internship and at least a one-year posting in country. Experience in rural practice is especially welcome.
- The Trust cannot consider applications from those who have already begun a course.
Dates
Deadline: February 07, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
What does a Beit Trust Postgraduate Scholarship Cover?
- Fees, tuition costs and related academic expenses. These are paid by the Trust direct to the Partner Universities.
- A personal allowance, index-linked in accordance with guidance from an independent authority, covering maintenance support.
- Other allowances are paid for arrival, a laptop and departure.
- Economy Class tickets are provided for the initial journey to the place of study, and on final return.
- No allowances can be paid for spouses and other family members or dependants.
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
