Canon Collins Trust Scholarships

About this scholarship

The Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust has run scholarship programmes for southern African candidates since 1981, supporting more than 4,000 scholars from 14 southern African countries, and it funds over 100 leaders to study at postgraduate level each year. Scholarships are available for study in South Africa, the UK, or Ireland, and to be eligible you must be a national of (or have refugee status in) one of the listed southern African countries and be resident in the region. Beyond academic ability, the Trust looks for a clear commitment to social justice and to its values of agency, learning, collaboration, solidarity, and fairness. Funding is provided for up to two years for master's and PhD study (with the ability to reapply for a third year), and continued support depends on satisfactory academic progress; the value of the package ranges from roughly R20,000 to R100,000 per year depending on the student's circumstances, making it a partial award that often complements other funding. Disciplinary focus changes by year — for 2026, awards are made only in Justice (including Climate Justice, Law, Economics, and Politics), Education policy and practice, and the Humanities. Applications open in a short annual window through the Trust's online portal, where applicants complete the form and upload supporting documents.

Eligibility

• Be a national of (or have refugee status in) one of the listed southern African countries
• Be resident in the southern African region
• Study in South Africa, the UK, or Ireland at postgraduate level
• Study an eligible field (for 2026: Justice/Law/Economics/Politics, Education, or Humanities)
• Demonstrate commitment to social justice; apply online within the annual window