Borel Global Fellows Program at Iowa State University of Science and Technology

The Borel Global Fellowship Program seeks to help eradicate food and nutrition insecurity while promoting wealth and health for subsistence farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This will be achieved by educating scientists at Iowa State University who will become knowledge leaders that reside and work in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Thanks to a generous gift from ISU alumni Jim (’78 agricultural business) and Marcia (’78 family environment) Borel, the Borel Global Fellows Program was launched in 2018. 

To be considered for the Borel Global Fellowship, you must:

• be admitted into a graduate program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

• be a citizen of a Sub-Saharan African country

• commit to completing graduate studies as a means for preparation of a career contributing to food security in Sub-Saharan Africa

• complete the majority of their graduate research in Sub-Saharan Africa

• demonstrate an intention to work and live in Sub-Saharan Africa after completing their graduate studies

• Up to $25,000 per year per student is available for graduate student stipends (or a combination of a partial stipend and research funding).

• Funding duration is up to 30 months for MS students and up to 42 months for PhD students.

• Additional funding is available for travel to and from Africa for research purposes.

To apply, candidates must be ready to submit the following documents;

• Completed application form 

• cover letter from the major professor,

• a CV of the student, and

• a copy of the student’s goal statement. 

Interested in applying for this Borel Global Fellowship? Here are the steps to follow;

1. 1

   Confirm your eligibility status

2. 2

   Completed application will include a cover letter from the major professor, a CV of the student, and a copy of the student’s goal statement.

3. 3

   Cover letters will address the commitment of the major professor to provide the remaining required funding (typically tuition, fees, and research costs) and his/her commitment to support the student’s research in Sub-Saharan Africa.

4. 4

   Applications are not accepted directly from graduate students. Applications may only be submitted by Iowa State University professors to request support for graduate students who have already been accepted into a graduate program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.