West African Research Association (WARA) - Pre-doctoral Fellowships 2025

The WARA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, for 2 to 3 month’s research in West Africa during the summer of 2019, is for the purpose of

1. Preparing a doctoral research proposal; or
2. Carrying out research related to the completion of another terminal degree program (e.g., MFA or MPH). 

The online application, which is available through the WARA website, requires the following documents:

• An abstract (50-80 words)
• Proposal (6 pages)
• Resume or CV
• Itemized budget (including estimated costs for housing, food, travel, equipment, printing/photocopying, and institutional affiliation fees)
• Graduate and undergraduate transcripts (Scan and upload official transcripts)
• A bibliography

The proposal statement should describe the concept, methodology and the significance of the proposed research project to the applicant’s academic field, and how this research contributes to the mission of WARA. On the Art of Writing Proposals, an excellent resource for preparing applications can be found on the SSRC website. The language should be understandable to non-specialist readers. In addition, applicants must submit three letters of reference, signed by the referee.

Awardees are required to secure IRB clearance from their institution or proof that their research is ruled exempt. Upon completion of their fellowships, grantees are required to submit a detailed report of their work and findings. This report will subsequently be published in the biannual WARA newsletter.

Upon completion of their fellowships, grantees are required to submit a detailed report of their work and findings. This report will subsequently be published in the biannual WARA newsletter.

Please direct all inquiries to west.african.research.association@gmail.com 

Who We Are

WARA is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the promotion of research on West Africa and the diaspora, scholarly exchange, the dissemination of accurate information on West Africa and its diasporic communities, and increasing awareness of the critical place of West Africa in the global community.

Founded in 1989, WARA’s mission is to promote research and scholarly exchange between West African and US scholars and institutions through its research fellowships, conferences, and publications; and through the many programs headquartered at WARA’s research center in Dakar, Senegal.

The West African Research Center (WARC) in Dakar, Senegal is WARA’s overseas headquarters and provides a wide range of resources and support for researchers from the US, West Africa, and beyond. It provides scholars with a rich array of resources and supportive services including a research and film library, digitization lab, seminar rooms, computer and wireless Internet access, an on-site cafe, and a pleasant space in which to organize major international conferences, local seminars, and other scholarly and artistic projects.

WARA is a member of the Association of African Studies Programs and is an affiliated member of the African Studies Association, thus linking it with mainstream organizations dedicated to the development of African area studies and research exchanges with sub-Saharan Africa. WARA programs complement the efforts of the National Resource Centers (NRC) for African Language and Area Studies (Title VI Centers) to improve the cross-cultural learning of students and faculty in the U.S. through study in Africa. As such, WARA’s programs help to address the NRC’s concern for quality infrastructure for overseas study and research programs in Africa.