Completion Grants

Completion Grants

Funding Application Guidelines

Please note that the application process is now closed.

The application guidelines can be downloaded here. The application form can also be downloaded here.

Role and purpose of the completion grants

Covid-19 continues to have a huge impact on PhD students and postdoctoral fellows. In recognition of this challenge, the AAMR is offering top-up grants that can support the completion of doctoral or postdoctoral projects. A completion grant is intended to cover late-stage costs related to a project (e.g. finalising fieldwork, writing time and living expenses) and cannot be used in conjunction with other AAMR grants.

Eligibility

Completion grants are open to African PhD students and postdoctoral fellows (i.e. those who would be considered ordinarily resident of an African country). Applicants must be enrolled at a university on the African continent and have already reached, or are very near to reaching, the writing stage of their project. Applicants can be based in any discipline (political science, urban studies, gender studies, sociology, anthropology, public health, etc.) as long as their overall focus is on human mobility.

Note that applications are welcome from scholars at universities not affiliated with the AAMR or ARUA. However, additional financial checks and/or oversight mechanisms may apply to institutions that do not have a formal agreement with the University of the Witwatersrand. Every effort will be made to accommodate strong submissions from non-partner universities. This may involve negotiating alternative payment arrangements.

AAMR is committed to equitable participation and encourages applications from individuals who may be excluded from other grant opportunities or who face additional social barriers.

Length of grant

Completion grants last for 9 months, from November 2021 to June 2022

Amount of grant

Each completion grant is worth GBP 3,000 (roughly equivalent to USD 4,150). Grants will be paid in two tranches: the first will be made in November 2021 and the second one in February 2021. Note that a failure to comply with any grant terms will result in the second payment being withheld.

Number of awards available

The AAMR is offering 10 PhD completion grants and 5 postdoctoral completion grants.

What can the grant be used for?

Although it is possible for funds to be used for research activities (e.g. follow-up interviews or checking in with research participants), a completion grant is not intended to cover substantial fieldwork costs. Its primary function is to support grantees to produce academic outputs (i.e. finalising their dissertation or writing journal articles).

Outputs and grant requirements

Recipients are required to produce a number of outputs as part of the grant agreement.

PhD students must submit the following by the conclusion of the grant:

  • 1 completed dissertation chapter or journal article
  • 1 blog post related to their PhD project
  • 1 funding report

Postdoctoral fellows must submit the following by the conclusion of the grant:

  • 2 completed book chapters or journal articles
  • 1 blog post related to the postdoctoral project
  • 1 funding report

In addition to the outputs listed above, grantees are required to attend 3 online capacity-building workshops during the course of the grant. These sessions are intended to support grantees during the writing process.

How to apply

Application forms can be downloaded here or requested directly via aamr@migration.org.za. All applications must be accompanied by a letter of support from a supervisor/line manager/head of department/head of school, indicating that you have the endorsement of your institution and will be supported to complete your project.

Feedback will be provided to applicants no later than 2 weeks after the closing date.

Important dates

Applications must be submitted by 24 September 2021. Late applications will not be considered.

***Please note that the application deadline has been extended from 13 September 2021 to 24 September 2021. Those who submitted applications before the extension announcement are welcome to resubmit if they choose to do so. ***

Responsibilities of the grant holder

Grantees will be responsible for the following:

  • Adhering to the AAMR code of conduct
  • Meeting all requirements listed in the grant agreement
  • Delivering all outputs as listed in the grant agreement
  • Managing expenses in accordance with the grant agreement
  • Completing a post-grant evaluation and report
  • Submitting all documentation by the dates listed in the grant agreement.

Reporting requirements

A narrative and financial report must be submitted for each and every completion grant. As well accounting for expenditure, grantees need to provide a summary of activities and how these have contributed towards AAMR’s objectives.

Application review process

Applications will be assessed by a review panel comprising representatives from the AAMR core partners. Reviewers will provide individual scores for each application, based on the criteria below:

  • The proposed work aligns with AAMR’s aims and objectives
  • The applicant can demonstrate how and why funds are going to be used
  • The applicant has considered further Covid risks and has a contingency plan in place
  • The application lists clear, measurable and relevant outputs
  • The application aligns with the AAMR’s commitment to an equitable distribution of resources.

Individual scores linked to the assessment criteria will be tallied into a combined grade. In cases where multiple applications are graded highly, the review panel will verbally discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each application until consensus is reached.

How to find out more

Questions or concerns should be sent to aamr@migration.org.za. It is highly recommended that any queries are submitted well before the application closing date.