UCT offer Funded PhD Fellowships in Climate 2027 Apply now

Scholarship Overview

• University: University of Cape Town (UCT)
• Programme: Doctoral Training Programme in Climate and Development
• Degree: PhD
• Study Duration: 4 years
• Study Location: Cape Town, South Africa
• Starting Year: 2027
• Number of Fellowships: Up to 12
• Funding: Fully funded
• Annual Fellowship Value: R390,000
• Deadline: 19 August 2026
• Outcome Notification: 26 August 2026
• Programme Partner: Africa Climate Collaborative
• Application Stage: Call for topic proposals and subsequent student recruitment

About the UCT Climate and Development PhD Programme

The University of Cape Town is a founding partner of the Africa Climate Collaborative, together with the universities of Cambridge, Ghana and Makerere and the Mastercard Foundation. The initiative aims to develop African researchers, thought leaders, scientists and entrepreneurs who can contribute to climate-resilient development and green economies across Africa. At UCT, the Collaborative is hosted by the African Climate & Development Initiative (ACDI).

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Starting in 2027, the Africa Climate Collaborative will convene a four-year Doctoral Training Programme in Climate and Development. The programme follows a structured doctoral model in which students complete one year of pre-doctoral coursework while developing their PhD proposal. After successfully completing the coursework and defending the proposal, students progress to the research phase of their PhD.

The programme plans to award up to 12 four-year fellowships per year. For 2027, the fellowship is valued at R390,000 per year, consisting of R315,000 for stipend and fees and up to R75,000 for relocation, medical insurance, research and other costs. The document states that the award value is expected to increase by approximately 2–4% per year depending on exchange rates and inflation.

What Does the Fully Funded Fellowship Offer?

The fellowship is designed to financially support doctoral students throughout the four-year programme. The 2027 value is R390,000 per annum.

The funding allocation includes:

• R315,000 for stipend and fees
• Up to R75,000 for relocation
• Medical insurance
• Research-related costs
• Other eligible costs

The programme is supported by a major Mastercard Foundation grant awarded to UCT. The grant totals USD 35 million and covers 2026–2032. A key component is the Doctoral Training Programme, which provides funding for six cohorts of 12 PhD students, with each student receiving a full scholarship for four years of study.

Four-Year PhD Structure

One of the major features of this opportunity is its structured four-year doctoral model.

Year 1 – Pre-Doctoral Phase

The first year focuses on preparation for doctoral research. Students register for the PhD and complete three credit-bearing courses.

These include:

• Foundations of Doctoral Research and Practice
• Climate and Development: Theory, Evidence, and Debates
• A specialisation elective relevant to the student’s research area

Students also develop their PhD proposal, undertake research-related activities and prepare for their proposal defence. Progression to the second year requires successful completion of the courses, successful defence of the PhD proposal and achievement of the required coursework credits.

Year 2 – Data Generation and Collection

The second year concentrates on generating and collecting research data. Depending on the research project, this can involve fieldwork, laboratory experiments, surveys or acquisition of existing datasets.

Students also undertake methods and techniques courses according to their research needs and participate in research presentations, journal clubs and progress assessments.

Year 3 – Data Analysis and Initial Writing

During the third year, students focus on analysing their research data and beginning substantial thesis writing.

The programme includes training in data analysis, scientific communication and scientific paper writing. Students work on their literature review, methods section, initial results and draft research chapters.

Year 4 – Thesis Writing and Examination

The fourth year is dedicated primarily to completing the PhD thesis, examination and preparation for the next stage of the student’s career.

Students work on final thesis chapters, complete their introduction, literature review, methods and conclusions, and submit the thesis. The programme aims for students to submit their PhD between July and August of Year 4, followed by examination, corrections and final completion. Students may also work on journal articles and prepare for careers in academia or industry.

Who Can Benefit From This PhD Opportunity?

The PhD in Climate and Development is designed for aspiring researchers and leaders who want to contribute to knowledge and practical solutions related to climate and development challenges.

The programme supports original and independent research that can contribute to policy, practice and sustainable development. The four-year degree consists of one year of pre-doctoral coursework followed by three years focused on doctoral research, data collection, analysis and thesis completion.

The programme is particularly focused on research relevant to climate and development in Africa. Proposed research topics should be needs-driven or problem-driven, meaning the research question should have a direct application for one or more non-academic audiences.

Research Areas and Disciplines

The programme is interdisciplinary and does not restrict research topics to a single academic field. Potential topics can be anchored in areas such as:

• Social sciences and humanities
• Natural and physical sciences
• Economics
• Finance and business
• Law
• Health sciences
• Engineering
• Climate and development studies

Interdisciplinary topics involving supervisors from different disciplines are preferred. A non-academic partner who can contribute meaningfully to the research project is also highly desirable.

This makes the opportunity potentially relevant to researchers approaching climate and development from different academic perspectives.

Important Programme Features

The Doctoral Training Programme is designed to provide more than financial support. It combines doctoral research with structured academic and professional development.

Students participate in activities such as:

• Quarterly PhD committee meetings
• Fortnightly research group meetings
• Monthly journal clubs
• Seminars and webinars
• Mid-year and end-year progress reports
• Research presentations
• Writing retreats
• Science communication training
• Knowledge brokering
• Journal paper preparation
• Career development
• Fellowship and grant proposal writing
• Industry-readiness preparation

The programme also allows students to undertake student-specific methods and techniques courses according to their research requirements.

How Will Students Be Recruited?

The recruitment process is planned in three stages.

First, prospective supervisors propose PhD topic areas that they would be interested in supervising. Second, topics that best align with the mission of the Africa Climate Collaborative are selected and advertised. Third, prospective students apply for a fellowship in their preferred topic area. Successful candidates are then supported in applying for admission to the University of Cape Town PhD programme through the relevant academic department.

According to the programme information, students will be able to apply for consideration for a maximum of three topics once selected topics are advertised externally. Candidates must meet UCT’s PhD admission requirements.

Important: The document provided is specifically a call for PhD topic proposals from prospective supervisors. The student application stage will follow after suitable topics have been selected and advertised. Therefore, applicants should distinguish between the current topic-proposal deadline and the later student fellowship application call.

Requirements for Proposed PhD Topics

The programme sets several criteria for topics proposed by prospective supervisors. At least two supervisors are required, including a nominated primary supervisor who is eligible to supervise a PhD in the relevant UCT academic department.

Topics should be relevant to climate and development scholarship in Africa and should address practical needs or problems. Interdisciplinary research is preferred, while involvement of a non-academic partner is highly desirable.

If a topic is selected for advertisement, the lead supervisor must also have agreement in principle from the relevant Head of Department that a successful student can register for the newly accredited PhD specialising in Climate and Development.

Application Information

The current call asks prospective supervisors to submit their topic proposals through a Microsoft Forms application.

The required information includes:

1. Lead supervisor details
2. Department of the lead supervisor
3. Proposed topic title
4. Head of Department details
5. Confirmation from the department
6. Co-supervisor information
7. Collaborator information
8. Background and rationale of the topic
9. Broad research aims or questions
10. Relevance to climate and development evidence needs in Africa
11. Explanation of the problem-driven or needs-driven nature of the research

Potential supervisors with questions about the call are directed to the programme’s Frequently Asked Questions page. The document also provides brandon.perumaul@uct.ac.za for queries regarding the topic submission process and the Doctoral Training Programme.

Important Dates

Closing Date: 19 August 2026

Outcome Notification: 26 August 2026

These dates are explicitly stated in the official programme document.

Because the closing date is 19 August 2026, interested prospective supervisors should prepare and submit their topic proposals before the deadline.

For prospective PhD students, it is important to note that the current document concerns the topic proposal stage. Selected topics will subsequently be advertised, after which prospective candidates can apply for the available PhD fellowship topics.

Why This Opportunity Is Important

The UCT Doctoral Training Programme offers a structured route toward a PhD in Climate and Development while connecting doctoral research with practical climate and development challenges in Africa.

Rather than following a research-only model from the beginning, students spend their first year developing research skills, academic knowledge and a strong doctoral proposal before moving into data collection and thesis research. The programme then provides structured support through analysis, scientific writing, publication preparation and career development.

The initiative also aims to build a cohort of researchers capable of contributing to climate-resilient development and green economies across Africa. Its interdisciplinary approach allows research to connect different fields and encourages engagement with non-academic partners.

Conclusion

The Fully Funded 4-Year PhD Fellowships in Climate and Development at the University of Cape Town represent a major doctoral training initiative beginning in 2027. The programme plans to provide up to 12 four-year fellowships, with the 2027 fellowship valued at R390,000 per year.

The PhD combines one year of structured pre-doctoral coursework with three years of research, data analysis and thesis development. Research can be interdisciplinary and may be based in fields including science, engineering, economics, law, health, social sciences and other disciplines relevant to climate and development in Africa.

However, applicants should carefully understand the current stage of the opportunity: the uploaded document announces a call for topic proposals from prospective supervisors, rather than the final student application call. Selected PhD topics will later be advertised, and prospective students will then be able to apply for the available fellowship opportunities.

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