Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS)

About MINDS

The Mandela Institute for Development Studies, or MINDS, is a pan-African think tank and leadership platform. It was established in 2010 and takes its inspiration from Nelson Mandela's vision of an integrated, self-reliant Africa. Its work centres on stronger governance, open dialogue and a new generation of capable African leaders.

MINDS runs several programmes. They include an elections and governance programme, an African heritage programme, an economic integration programme and an African youth network. The MINDS scholarship sits alongside these as its main route for funding students.

How MINDS supports students

The Scholarship Programme for Leadership Development funds postgraduate study. Awards apply to full-time Honours or Master's study of one or two years. The twist is that you must study in an African country other than your own. For a South African student, that could mean a place in Kenya, Ghana or Nigeria rather than at home.

This design is deliberate. By sending students across borders, MINDS builds friendships and professional networks that stretch over the whole continent. Graduates are then better placed to cooperate on shared problems such as trade, governance and development. In practice, a scholar may share a classroom with peers from several countries.

Partner universities have included Strathmore University in Kenya, the University of Cape Town and the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University for Development Studies in Ghana, and the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. Partners can change, so confirm the current list with MINDS.

Awards may be partial or full. A full scholarship has covered tuition, accommodation and meals, one return ticket for the period of study and a fixed stipend. MINDS does not prescribe a field of study. It looks for leadership potential and academic merit instead.

What to know before applying

Published criteria ask for an African national living on the continent, aged between 18 and 45. You need formal acceptance at a MINDS preferred institution outside your home country. You must be about to start postgraduate study in the coming academic year. A recent academic result of at least 70% is expected, as well as clear evidence of leadership ability or potential.

Notice the order of steps. You usually need your university acceptance before the scholarship application is complete, so start your admission process early. Prepare transcripts, identity documents and a strong statement of your leadership record.

Intake dates, partner lists and the level of funding can differ each year. Always read the current call on the official MINDS website, and do not pay anyone to help you apply. Because competition across the whole continent is strong, begin well before the closing date and ask your referees early.