Nowadays, education has become such an expensive affair such that it has become out of reach for a good number of people. This means that a good number of bright but needy students are not able to progress to the next level.
As such, getting a scholarship has become one of the best ways to mitigate the high cost of pursuing higher education. With scholarships, you get access to high-quality education without having to worry about finances. With technological advancement, scholarships have become more readily available offering a variety of options that meet different needs.
Here are some scholarship opportunities available for Kenyan students.
Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship Program
This scholarship aims to support gifted students from developing countries with no other means of financing their post-graduate studies. The applicant must be admitted to a reputable institution for a postgraduate program, and have genuine financial needs, exceptional academic records, professional experience, extra curriculum achievements or leadership skills.
It’s open to students from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt, France, India, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Portugal, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda and the USA. Note that students from Canada, France, Portugal and the USA must originally be from one of the developing countries above. Applications cycles start in January and close in March of every year.
Rotary Peace Fellowships
The Rotary Foundation awards fully funded scholarships to 50 people every year to attend an intensive three-month professional development certificate program in peace and development that includes two to three weeks of field study. The requirements include at least three years of relevant full-time work experience related to peacebuilding or international development and last between 15 to 24 months, including an applied field experience of two to three months between the first and second academic year. Candidates must have strong leadership skills and a strong commitment to peace and other humanitarian works such as work in environmental issues, education and literacy, women’s rights, journalism, public health, or disease prevention. Applications begin in early February.
ACCES Kenya
The African Canadian Continuing Education Society (ACCES Kenya) scholarship program was established in 1993 and it prides itself in assisting more than 3000 students graduate from university. They offer partial scholarships to the brightest and most vulnerable students in certain parts of Kenya.
Applicants must be below 30 years old from Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega, and Vihiga counties. They must have attained a C- for a college application and a C+ for a university application. Postgraduate program students are not eligible for this scholarship. Applications must be submitted by June.
WAAW Foundation Scholarships
Working to Advance Science and Technology Education for African Women (WAAW) Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to increase the pipeline of African girls in STEM. They offer scholarship programs to college students from African countries. The applicants must be a woman below 32 years, currently studying a STEM-related course in an African institution, and demonstrate financial need. The scholarship awards recipients $500 for the academic year. Applications begin in September.
Mandela Washington Fellowship For Young African Leaders
This fellowship targets young leaders from African countries for academic and leadership training. It was founded in 2014 and has already trained over 5,000 students. The fellows must be aged between 25 and 35 years and be accomplished in their communities with proven records of promoting positive impacts in the community. Fellows participate in a six-week program studying Business, Civic Engagement, or Public Management hosted by U.S. colleges or universities. Applications close in September and successful applicants are notified in March.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Program
The Vanier Canada Graduates Scholarship Program offers world-class doctoral students a fully funded scholarship of up to $50,000 per year. It’s important that candidates cannot apply directly to this program. Candidates must be nominated by the Canadian institution they want to study at. They must also be pursuing a Doctoral degree in Health, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences and Humanities. The nominating institution should submit its nominations by November.
ALX
This program aims at transforming the lives of African youth by helping them receive quality education and secure jobs. It targets people who are excited about technology and digital disruptions and interested in gaining specialized skills. Once you complete the program, you will be eligible to join The Room, a platform where you can build relationships with top talents or even your next employer. Applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old, fresh graduates, career switchers, freelancers or junior to mid-level professionals.
AWS
AWS has teamed up with Udacity to award 2,500 students with scholarships that will enable them to learn valuable skills in AI and Machine Learning. The scholarship program seeks to help students from underrepresented and underserved communities achieve their dreams. The courses are part-time and online which allows enrolled students to learn at their own pace and convenience. The application process is done on Udacity’s website. Applications close in the end of May.
Access Scholarship
Moringa School in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation are offering scholarships to youth from low-income backgrounds. This program aims to give its recipients high-quality education that will mould them to be confident leaders in the future. The program also offers additional support such as a pre-introduction course and mentorship to scholarship students to help them complete the program as their self-sponsored counterparts.
Applicants must be 18 to 35 years old, based in or have accommodation in Nairobi, graduated high school, not currently attending classes, prove financial need, and be able to commit to the program for 6 months. After completing the program, graduates receive assistance in finding employment for 1 year.
Wangari Mathai Scholarship
This scholarship program was founded in honour of the Late Professor Wangari Mathai and targets students who are pursuing environmental studies in Kenyan universities. The beneficiary must be a woman aged between 18 and 25 years old, enrolled in a recognized Kenyan tertiary institution, and able to demonstrate how an environmental conservation project they have started or been involved in has impacted the community positively. Applications close in November.