The Irish Government Frank Ferguson Fellowship in Engineering for Zambians

This Fellowship award honors the achievements and memory of Frank Ferguson, an engineer and innovator who dedicated fifty years to promoting development in Zambia through numerous high-quality infrastructure projects.

📖 About The Fellowship

The Irish Government, in partnership with the Engineering Institution of Zambia and the University of Galway, has established the Frank Ferguson Fellowship award. This fellowship will fund up to two awards (one male, one female) for successful Zambian candidates each year to study a master's level engineering programme in Ireland.

The Engineering School at the University of Galway is ranked in the top 2% globally and boasts strong research support in one of the world's most welcoming cities.

Programme Goals

• Nurture future leaders.
• Develop in-country capacity to achieve national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Build positive relationships with Ireland.
• Support graduates in contributing to capacity building in their home countries.
• Foster enduring personal and professional relationships with Ireland.

🎁 Benefits

The Ireland Fellows Programme awards are fully funded and include:

• Payment of academic fees, visa application fees, medical and travel insurance, economy flights to and from Ireland, and the Irish residence permit fee.
• Allowances:
  • A settling-in allowance for items needed upon arrival in Ireland.
  • A completion and departure allowance at the end of the study period.
  • A monthly living stipend of €700 (subject to review).
  • Student accommodation arranged and paid for during trimesters 1 and 2 (September to May).
  • In trimester 3, a monthly accommodation stipend of €800-€1000, depending on location in Ireland (subject to review).

📚 Eligible Courses

Applicants must select from the following master's level engineering programmes offered by the University of Galway:

1. Master of Civil Engineering (MENG-MEC)
2. ME in Energy Systems Engineering (MENG-MEES)
3. MSc in Mechanical Engineering (MSC-MSME)
4. ME in Electrical & Electronic Engineering (MENG-MEEE)
5. MSc in Marine and Freshwater Resources: Management (MSC-MFR)

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Frank Ferguson Fellowship, applicants must:

• Be a resident national of Zambia.
• Have a minimum of three years' substantial work experience directly relevant to the proposed programme(s) of study.
• Be a member of the Engineering Institution of Zambia.
• Hold a Degree in Engineering or related discipline with Merit or higher from an accredited and government-recognized higher education institution.
• Achieve the necessary academic standard to be accepted onto a master's level programme in engineering at the University of Galway.
• Not already hold a qualification at master's level or higher.
• Not currently undertaking or be due to start a programme at master's level or higher in the academic year 2025/26.
• Apply to commence a new programme at master's level in Ireland no sooner than August 2026.
• Demonstrate:
  • Leadership abilities and aspirations.
  • A commitment to achieving the SDGs within Zambia.
  • A commitment to building positive relationships with Ireland.
• Identify and select two relevant programmes from the list of engineering programmes at the University of Galway.
• Have a clear understanding of the academic and English language proficiencies required for all chosen programmes.
• Not have applied to the Ireland Fellows Programme on more than one previous occasion.
• Be in a position to take up the Fellowship in the academic year 2026/2027.

🗓 Application Process

The application process consists of three stages:

1. Stage 1: Preliminary Application.
2. Stage 2: Detailed Application (including research proposal).
3. Stage 3: Interviews.

📅 Application Deadline

25 July, 2025

🌐 Scholarship Application Portal

For more details, visit the Irish Government Frank Ferguson Fellowship in Engineering for Zambians.

To apply, download the preliminary application form here.

This fellowship is an incredible opportunity for Zambian engineers to advance their careers, contribute to national development, and build lasting connections with Ireland.

• Ireland Fellows Programme awards are fully funded.
• The award includes the payment of academic fees; visa application fees; medical and travel insurance; economy flights to and from Ireland; and the Irish residence permit fee. Allowances include the following:
• A settling-in allowance towards items needed on arrival in Ireland;
• A completion and departure allowance at the end of the study period;
• A monthly living stipend of €700 (subject to review);
• Student accommodation arranged and paid for trimesters 1 and 2 (normally September to May), and in trimester 3 a monthly accommodation stipend of €800-€1000 depending on location in Ireland (subject to review).