Engineering scholarships for African students are among the most plentiful in the STEM funding landscape. The structural development needs of African economies — infrastructure, energy, water systems, manufacturing — have made engineering capacity a stated priority for both national governments and international development funders. This translates into a wide range of funding opportunities across engineering disciplines, at both postgraduate and undergraduate level.
The most well-funded engineering scholarships for African students in 2026 span civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, and biomedical engineering, as well as emerging disciplines like renewable energy engineering and environmental engineering. Several corporate foundations — including the Schlumberger Foundation, Siemens Foundation, and Bayer Foundation — maintain active scholarship programmes for engineering students specifically from African or developing-country backgrounds.
This guide covers fully funded scholarships for undergraduate engineering degrees, Masters (MEng, MSc) programmes, PhD research degrees, and professional development fellowships for working engineers. Each listing is drawn from Scholar Africa's verified database and reflects 2026 programme information.
Eligibility note: some engineering scholarships require applicants to commit to working in their home country on return. Others are open to any destination post-study. Women in engineering are specifically targeted by several major programmes — see the STEM Women guide for additional opportunities.
Top Engineering Scholarships for African Students in 2026
The following programmes are the most accessible and competitive engineering scholarships for African students entering 2026 application cycles.
Schlumberger Faculty for the Future: A Flagship Programme
The Schlumberger Foundation's Faculty for the Future fellowship is one of the most significant engineering scholarships available to African women. It funds PhD and postdoctoral research in STEM at top global universities for women from developing countries — including all African states — who are already faculty members or researchers at universities in their home countries. The fellowship provides full tuition, living expenses, and travel. Award periods are typically two to four years. The application process is competitive and requires institutional backing from the home university.
While Faculty for the Future targets women specifically, the Schlumberger Foundation also administers other programmes. Check the Foundation's website for current open competitions beyond the core FFTF fellowship.
Development-Focused Engineering Funding
USAID and World Bank-affiliated engineering scholarships specifically target African engineers working on development-relevant infrastructure challenges. The African Development Bank's Japan-Africa Dream Scholarship (JADS) funds African engineers for Masters-level study in Japan in disciplines including civil, electrical, and environmental engineering. The programme is competitive and awards typically twenty to thirty scholarships annually across all eligible African countries.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) maintains several engineering-specific scholarship tracks for African applicants. The DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses programme funds Masters-level study at German universities in development-relevant disciplines, with engineering strongly represented. The application process is conducted through the DAAD regional office in your country.
Required Documents for Engineering Scholarship Applications
- Engineering degree transcripts — Certified copies from the registrar. For postgraduate applications, both undergraduate and any Masters transcripts are required.
- Professional registration or membership (if required) — Some programmes targeting practising engineers require evidence of registration with the national engineering council.
- Research or design portfolio — For research-based scholarships (PhD, postdoctoral), a two to five page research proposal is standard. For programmes open to professionally-focused Masters degrees, a statement of purpose describing engineering goals is typically required instead.
- GRE scores — Many US-based engineering PhD programmes and associated fellowships require GRE General Test scores. Target: Quantitative 160+, Verbal 150+.
- References — Two to three letters from engineering faculty or professional supervisors who can evaluate your technical competence. References from non-technical supervisors are generally insufficient for engineering scholarship applications.