The aim of the Shaun Johnson Memorial Scholarships (SJMS) is to increase the impact and effectiveness of Mandela Rhodes Alumni who wish to pursue PhD studies outside the African continent, by connecting them to financial support for doctoral study in the United Kingdom.
The SJMS aims to increase vocational capacity by:
- Supporting alumni to further specialise in their disciplines through doctoral study.
- Enabling alumni to access some of the best supervisors and research facilities in those disciplines, which may not necessarily be available in their home countries.
The SJMS aims to increases leadership capacity by:
- Supporting alumni who have clearly identified and articulated the next phase of their leadership journey and feel that doctoral studies will support that intent.
- Increasing alumni access to international networks of academic and vocational influence via their UK universities.
Table of Content
Summary
- Application DeadlineMay 17, 2026
- Study LevelMasters , PhD
- SponsorMandela Rhodes Foundation
- Eligible CountryAll Countries
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Benefits
The Shaun Johnson Memorial Scholarship covers your tuition and provides a stipend for your living costs.
Requirements
This scholarship is only open to Mandela Rhodes Alumni. For the main Mandela Rhodes Scholarship, please click here .
- Candidates must be Mandela Rhodes Scholars seeking to do doctoral study in the UK
- Candidates must be beginning a new PhD – the SJMS does not provide support for PhDs which have already been started
Selection Process
The Foundation acknowledge and support the Leverhulme Trust’s approach to grant giving, which is to use established criteria as a baseline, and from there select on the basis of congruence with the Trust’s values and aims. The primary criteria for PhD research proposals are: originality, importance, significance and merit.
The secondary criteria for the SJMS are designed to support the MRF’s purpose and values. Applicants should motivate for the scholarship on the bases of the following criteria:
- Their research. The research proposal should have a demonstrable potential social impact, that will contribute to the betterment of Africa. The research should meet the criteria of originality, importance, significance and merit.
- Their research institution of choice. The applicant should motivate for why it is necessary for this research to be conducted at a UK institution of their choice, making specific mention of potential supervisor/s they have identified, or research units they intend to join. The applicant should be able to articulate how this positioning will advance them in their career, beyond the completion of the doctoral thesis.
- Their leadership capacity and potential. The applicant should demonstrate how the MRF values have been threaded through their journey since their time in residence to the present moment, though their academic and non-academic pursuits. They should be able to motivate for why they believe the Shaun Johnson Memorial Scholarship for doctoral study in the UK is an essential next part of their leadership journey.
Application Documents
Please ensure the following documentation accompanies your application form. Please note that applicants are responsible for obtaining the reference letters from referees and submitting them with the application.
- A completed application form
- A 3 page CV
- Matric transcripts
- Transcripts and degree certificates from tertiary institutions
- A one-page exposition of proposed thesis
- A 500 word essay on your leadership journey and the MRF values since your time in residence
- Two academic reference letters
Check also:
Free Ongoing Fully Funded Scholarships Guide 2026 (Download Now)
Application Deadline
May 17, 2026How To Apply
Please request forms from [email protected]
For more information, kindly visit Mandela Rhodes Foundations scholarship webpage.
