By Oyeniyi Okunoye Department of English,Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife

 I appreciate the invitation to be part of this workshop.  I am delighted to be in the midst of old friends and colleagues to do what I am increasingly developing interest in—mentoring potential researchers.  I particularly thank the workshop the organizers of the workshop for making it possible for making my first visit to the Adeyemi Federal University of Education for the first time.

In this presentation, my mandate is to :  give a broad survey of fellowships and grants that participants at this workshop may consider applying for or aspire to apply for in the future.  Categorize the fellowships based on the people they target  Inspire participants to identify fellowships that best suit their needs

 They are investments in select people whose works are adjudged good enough to merit support.  They are intended to support research in order to facilitate the production of knowledge in a broad sense or in a specific area of research.  The goal of every grant-making body is in seeing the end product of the research.  Fellowships and awards are proof of academic recognition and accomplishment.

 There are many ways of grouping fellowships, awards and grants. I this presentation, I have chosen to categorize them based on the level of research that they target:  A: Predoctoral Fellowships:  support promising doctoral researchers.  either intended to cover a part of the doctoral work or the whole of it.  B: Postdoctoral Fellowships:  for early career researchers that are meant to enable them build on their research beyond the award of degrees.  can either lead to reworking the doctoral theses or initiating new researches.  C: Fellowships for Advanced Researcher:  more competitive  awarded to established researchers.  offer more resources and often support more than one researcher

 CODESRIA SMALL GRANTS FOR THESES WRITING:  one of the oldest grants in Africa for postgraduate students in the Social Sciences and the Humanities –established in  Provides support for up to $3,000 for fieldwork, acquisition of relevant literature and methodology.  The award can only be utilized within Africa

 DISSERTATION COMPLETION FELLOWSHIP OF THE AFRICAN HUMANITIES PROGRAM  funded by the African Humanities Program of the American Council of Learned Societies.  Available to scholars resident in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa  supports doctoral students in the final year of their PhD in completing their research  Offers the opportunity of a research residency in another country for about two months.  It carries a cash value of $10,000 and $1,000 for books

 NEXT GENERATION SOCIAL SCIENCES IN AFRICA: DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP  This program is funded by The Social Science Research Council.  It is to raise the next generation of social science researchers in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa.  Supports 6-12 months of dissertation research costs up to USD 15,000 on a research project related to peace, security and development.  The deadline for applications this year is November 13, 2015.

 DAAD FELLOWSHIP  The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) also provides scholarships for postgraduate students from Africa from the Master’s level.  These awards are designed to meet specific needs, ranging from full sponsorship in German institutions to split-site doctoral programme.  The awards offer an opportunity to work with a German host who mentors the awardee.  Details of specific programmes are available from DAAD representatives in Nigeria.

 CADBURY FELLOWSHIP:  The Cadbury Fellowship is administered by the Department of African Studies and Anthropology of the University of Birmingham.  It provides scholars based in African institutions an opportunity to research on a research topic related to the theme for the year over a period of ten weeks and participate in an international workshop on the theme for the year.  The fellowship is intended to encourage awardees to rework their research for publication.

 LEVENTIS FELLOWSHIP  This fellowship is meant for promising young Nigerian researchers and is funded by the Leventis Foundation.  It is utilized at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London over a period of three months.  The application is always invited in March and the awardee comes into residence  The awardee works with a host.

 POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP OF THE AFRICAN HUMANITIES PROGRAM  funded by the ACLS to promote research in the Humanities in five African countries.  Many awards are made each year.  to enable the awardee concentrate on research for a period of one year  offers an opportunity for residency at a centre in another African country for up to three months  Fellowship worth $17,000 with an addition of $1,000 for books.

 CODESRIA ADVANCED RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP  a research fellowship of the CODESRIA for post- doctoral African researchers.  open to scholars in the Social Sciences and the Humanities.  candidates determine their own research topics  awarded for a period of one year  The value of the research is $10,000 and the research report is published in a CODESRIA book series.

THE NEWTON INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP:  this is a prestigious international fellowship to be utilized in institutions in the UK.  It covers disciplines in the Humanities, sciences and the social sciences.  The fellowship is run administered by The British Academy and the Royal Society.  It offers grants of 24,000 Pounds per year and up to 8,000 per year for research expenses and 2,000 to cover the cost of relocation.  There is also the facility for follow-up funding of up to 6,000 Pounds for up to 10 years.

 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT FELLOWSHIPS: --HUMBOLDT POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP --GEORG FORSTER POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP  these are administered by the Humboldt Foundation in Germany.  they are among the best fellowships in the world in the sense that they establish an enduring relationship with awardees in addition to being very generous.  applications are made in consultation with a host in German institution.

 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP FOR EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS  GEORG FORSTER FELLOWSHIP FOR EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS  These are research fellowships administered by the Humboldt Foundation targeted at scholars with established research profiles.  They are utilized in Germany and offer a range of facilities that make the researcher maintain a lasting relationship with German colleagues.

 TETFUND NATIONAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP  This program offers research grants to lecturers in Nigerian public tertiary institutions.  The programme accommodates collaborative research and funds researches up to a maximum of 50 million naira.  Applications are to be made on prescribes forms and research priorities in each discipline is spelt out in the guidelines for the fund.  Applications are made through heads of institutions to the TETFUND and they are processed by specialists after being shortlisted.  TETFUND Grants accommodate various categories of researchers.

 HUMBOLDT RESEARCH AWARDS:  These research awards administered by the Humboldt Foundation.  Awardees do not have apply for them but are nominated by colleagues who recognize their outstanding contributions to knowledge.  The awards are normally utilized in German institutions over a period of a year.  The value of the awards start from 60,00 Euro.

 Even though all fellowships are said to be competitive, people still get them.  One stands a better chance of getting big fellowships only after getting small grants  Fellowships are good and universal proofs of academic influence and impact.  You do not have to give up if you have ever failed to win a fellowship or grant. Quitters don’t win, winners don’t quit.

 All the fellowships and awards are waiting for you. Thank you.