TRAJECTS Offering 8 New Scholarships for 2026 Intake Globally

If your academic work sits at the crossroads of climate policy, fossil fuel phase-out, renewable energy governance, or socio-ecological transformation, a scholarship programme built precisely around those themes has just opened eight seats for the 2026 to 2028 cycle. The Transnational Centre for Just Transitions in Energy, Climate and Sustainability, known as TRAJECTS, is offering eight fully funded Master’s scholarships distributed across partner universities in South Africa and Colombia, two of the most critically positioned nations in the global conversation around extractive economies and sustainable development.

This is not a conventional academic funding package tied to a single institution or a broad, loosely defined research theme. TRAJECTS operates as a living transnational network, and the scholars it selects are expected to contribute to that network through research, dialogue, and cross-border training activities that connect the Global South with North-based academic partners.

For graduate students who want their Master’s research to matter beyond the thesis page, this is among the most purposefully structured scholarship calls of 2026.

The Money, the Mobility, and What Comes With It: Understanding the TRAJECTS Financial Package

TRAJECTS structures its funding to support sustained, full-time engagement with the programme across the entire two-year period from August 2026 through July 2028. The financial package is consistent across all eight scholarship positions regardless of host institution.

• Each scholarship provides a monthly stipend of EUR 1,000, paid in local currency at the applicable exchange rate at the time of disbursement, which means the actual local currency value may fluctuate across the scholarship period.
• The stipend is intended to cover both living costs and tuition fees, meaning scholars are responsible for directing a portion of their monthly stipend toward programme tuition rather than receiving a separate tuition waiver.
• Scholars receive access to TRAJECTS workshops, which form a core part of the transnational network’s knowledge-sharing and training activities across its partner institutions.
• Mobility support is included, enabling scholars to participate in cross-network exchanges and activities that may involve travel between partner institutions or network events.
• Language funding is available to support scholars who need to develop proficiency in a language relevant to their host country or network engagement.
• Exactly eight scholarships are on offer in this call, distributed as follows: two at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, four at the University of Magdalena in Santa Marta, Colombia, and two at the Institute of Environmental Studies at the National University of Colombia’s Bogotá campus.
• Applicants are strongly advised to review the tuition fee structures of their target Master’s programme directly on the host university’s official website before applying, as TRAJECTS confirms the stipend must cover tuition and fees are subject to change.

The Candidate TRAJECTS Is Looking For: Full Eligibility Requirements

The scholarship is open to applicants internationally, but the academic and thematic alignment requirements are specific and non-negotiable. Candidates need to satisfy both the TRAJECTS network criteria and the independent admission requirements of their chosen host university.

• You must have completed, or be in the final stages of completing, a Bachelor’s degree that is relevant to the themes of just transitions, energy, climate, sustainability, or related social science, environmental, or policy fields.
• You must independently apply for and secure proof of admission or current enrolment in one of the eligible Master’s programmes listed in the official TRAJECTS Call for Applications, as TRAJECTS does not manage or influence the university admission process.
• Your proposed research must align with at least one of the three core TRAJECTS thematic areas: fossil fuel phase-out and its policy, labour and governance dimensions; sustainable integration of renewable energy systems including energy access, circular economy, or green industrial development; or socio-ecological transitions in regions highly dependent on fossil fuel or extractive economies.
• You must demonstrate willingness and capacity to actively engage with the TRAJECTS transnational network through dialogue, training activities, and collaborative research development across South–South–North academic exchange.
• Applicants who identify as coming from vulnerable, marginalised, or minority backgrounds are encouraged to submit a self-declaration as part of their application, which forms a consideration in the selection process.
• There is no explicit nationality restriction stated in the call, but host university admission requirements may impose their own residency, language, or academic equivalency conditions that applicants must independently meet.

From Interest to Shortlist: How to Build and Submit a Competitive TRAJECTS Application?

The TRAJECTS application process requires a combination of institutional admission and a separate scholarship application to the network itself, so timing and coordination between both tracks is critical.

Step 1 – Choose your host university and Master’s programme. Decide which of the three partner institutions you are targeting: the University of Cape Town, the University of Magdalena in Santa Marta, or the Institute of Environmental Studies at the National University of Colombia in Bogotá.

Step 2 – Apply for and secure university admission independently. TRAJECTS plays no role in university admission. You must apply directly to your chosen programme and obtain a proof of admission or current enrolment document. Without this, your TRAJECTS scholarship application cannot be completed.

Step 3 – Prepare your research proposal. This is the most substantive element of your application. Your proposal, capped at three pages, must demonstrate a clear and credible research project aligned with TRAJECTS thematic priorities. Reviewers will assess not only topical fit but also methodological thinking and your understanding of just transitions discourse.

Step 4 – Assemble all required documents. Your complete application package must include your Bachelor’s degree diploma or graduation certificate, official undergraduate transcripts, your university proof of admission or enrolment, a CV of no more than two pages, an academic motivation letter of no more than two pages, your research proposal of no more than three pages, one academic letter of recommendation, and if applicable, a self-declaration of vulnerability, marginalisation, or minority status.

Step 5 – Read the full Call for Applications before submitting. TRAJECTS explicitly and strongly encourages all applicants to review the complete call document before submitting. Programme-specific eligibility conditions, required Master’s programmes, and submission instructions are detailed there and may affect which applications are considered valid.

Step 6 – Submit before the deadline. All materials must be submitted through the official TRAJECTS application channel before the closing date and time. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

The Clock Is Running: Your TRAJECTS Application Deadline

The deadline to submit your application for the TRAJECTS Master Scholarship Call 2026 to 2028 is 4 April 2026 at 2:59 AM. Given that this deadline falls in the early hours of the morning and that the programme covers universities across multiple time zones in South Africa and Colombia, applicants should treat 3 April 2026 as their effective final submission day to avoid any risk of technical delays or time zone miscalculations cutting off a completed application.