The Desmond Tutu/Church of Scotland Masters Scholarship

The scholarship will be awarded to a student from Africa who is accepted on a full-time basis for a one year postgraduate Masters programme of study within the School of Divinity and who has the official endorsement from the General Secretary or Principal Clerk of their Church.

This scholarship was set up in 2009 to commemorate the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred by the University on the Most Reverend Desmond Tutu.

During the graduation ceremony Archbishop Tutu spoke of the historic links between Africa and the University of Edinburgh: "Some of our first black physicians were people who had trained here and there is a long tradition that links this university with our part of the world."

Award

The scholarship will cover:

• Full overseas tuition fee
• Accommodation within a Church of Scotland flat within Edinburgh
• Visa costs
• One return airfare
• Insurance from Church of Scotland business travel, underwritten by Aviva.

The award will be tenable for one academic year.

All scholarship award holders are expected to be energetic members of our postgraduate community, and will engage with opportunities to present their work to the wider student and staff body during the period covered by their award.  We offer our postgraduates a range of training and development opportunities appropriate to their programme of study.

Eligibility

The scholarship will be awarded to a student from Africa who is accepted on a full-time basis for a one year postgraduate Masters programme of study within the School of Divinity commencing in September 2023. Shortlisted candidates will require to have the official endorsement from the General Secretary or the Principal Clerk of their Church.

Applicants must be a member of a Church of Scotland partner church in Africa.  Eligible partner churches are:

Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana

Presbyterian Church of Ghana

Presbyterian Church of East Africa

Synod of the Nile of the Evangelical Church of Egypt

Church of Central Africa Presbyterian

Igreja Evangelica de Cristo em Mocambique

Presbyterian Church of Nigeria

Presbyterian Church of South Sudan

The Programme of Christian Muslim Relations in Africa'

United Church of Zambia

Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa 

Both taught Masters and Masters by Research programmes are eligible for this award.

Criteria

The scholarship will be awarded broadly on the basis of academic merit with candidates requiring an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK first class or 2:1 Honours degree.

Applying

Applications for the 2023-2024 academic session are no longer being accepted for this scholarship as the 5th April 2023 deadline has now passed.

Notification

All applicants will be notified of the outcome by the end of May 2023.

Contact details

Karoline McLean: K.McLean@ed.ac.uk