Applications are now open for the Sahel, Middle East and Horn of Africa Scholarships to study MSc in Water and Sustainable Development at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education

Ednah Carrick March 8, 2026

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Closing Date: 1 June 2026

Applications are now open for the Sahel, Middle East and Horn of Africa Scholarships to study MSc in Water and Sustainable Development at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education

Apply now for the Sahel and Horn of Africa scholarships to study an MSc in Water and Sustainable Development at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands.

The scholarship provides full or partial funding to cover living costs, travel, tuition fees and other expenses.

Overview

The IHE Delft Water and Development Partnership Programme, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is providing a limited number of scholarships in the framework of capacity strengthening and nurturing network of water professionals in the focus regions and countries of the programme.

There are full and partial scholarships available. The full scholarships include the total cost of the MSc Programme in Water and Sustainable Development: Tuition fee, insurance, international travel cost and an allowance of €1,220 per month for the cost of living and accommodation during the complete study period.

The scholarship requires that students conduct their MSc research in their home country/region and in association with one of the projects supported by the programme in that country/region.

Moreover, the students will need to participate in and contribute to the seminars organized by the learning networks of the programme. This to further strengthen the capacities in the regions, nurture networks in the water sector and develop knowledge relevant for the focus regions of the programme.

Eligibility

Nationals from the following countries are eligible for this scholarship

Middle East: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Yemen
Horn of Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda
Sahel: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria

Eligibility criteria

Academic admission to the MSc Programme in Water and Sustainable Development
Living and/or working in one of the eligible countries.
Agree to conduct MSc research in their country/region associated with one of the projects implement(ed) by the Programme.
Active participation in and contribute to the seminars organized for the learning networks of the Programme.
Confirmation to return to country of origin or other priority country of the programme.
Employer statement: One of the two recommendation letters that you are requested to upload as part of your application for admission should be a letter of your current employer which has the following requirements:
- Should be on official letter head
- Should be dated and signed
- Should state the following:
  - Explain how the obtained knowledge and skills of the applicant will contribute to the activities and performance of the organization.
  - Confirm that the applicant will return to the organization after completing the MSc study at IHE.
  - Indicate in which project(s) funded by the Water and Development Partnership Programme the organization is involved in (if any). Only if one of the two recommendation letters meet these requirements you will be eligible to take part in the selection for a scholarship through the Water and Development Partnership Programme (WDPP)

Selection criteria

Strong priority to female candidates.
Strong motivation (you have to answer 5 motivation questions in your online application)
Strong academic background
Preference to candidates with relevant work experience

If all eligibility and selection criteria are met, priority will be given to candidates who are in a position to arrange co-funding from other sources, in those cases where candidates equal in suitability and eligibility.

Application procedure

You do not have to complete a separate application form to apply for this scholarship. If you are a national from one of the eligible countries and meet the eligibility criteria, you will automatically be considered for the scholarship after you have applied for admission and after you have received your academic admission letter. With regard to the limited budget and number of scholarships available, IHE Delft advise you to apply for other scholarships for which you are eligible as well, also for scholarships which cover part of the total cost of the programme. Applicants who are eligible for the Rabbani scholarship are advised to apply for this scholarship as well.

If you are from one of these countries and interested in studying at IHE Delft, IHE Delft advises you to apply for admission as soon as possible. IHE Delft furthermore advise you to brush up your English and, if required, timely sign up for an English language test, as this is a requirement* for final admission and scholarship eligibility.