AfDB–Shanghai Ocean University 2026 Master’s and PhD Scholarships: Apply by 10 December 2026

AfDB–Shanghai Ocean University 2026 Master’s and PhD Scholarships: Apply by 10 December 2026

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and Shanghai Ocean University (SHOU) have announced a 2026 graduate scholarship call for eligible African applicants. The current call is for Master’s and PhD programmes at SHOU, with a closing date of 10 December 2026. It is the degree-scholarship announcement linked from the official AfDB Virtual Capacity Development Academy notice.

This opportunity has two related but separate 2026 tracks. The graduate scholarship call is the track with the December deadline and is the one described in detail below. A different AfDB notice covered the 2026 SHOU International Summer School of Food Science and Engineering. That short programme had a 1 June 2026 application deadline and a 1 July 2026 to 15 July 2026 study period. It should not be used as the deadline for the Master’s and PhD scholarships. The summer-school notice is still useful for understanding the partnership, but its application window has closed.

The current degree-scholarship call

The graduate call aims to strengthen Africa’s institutional and technical capacity in sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, marine science, and resource management. The official announcement places the programme within the African Development Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy for 2024–2033. SHOU is presented as a research-oriented university specializing in marine science, aquaculture, and ocean governance.

The call is not a generic scholarship for any subject at a Chinese university. It is tied to SHOU’s aquatic, marine, food, and related technical programmes. The attached AfDB–SHOU call for applications lists graduate Master’s and PhD options across SHOU colleges. The listed areas include aquatic biology, fisheries and life science, fishery resources, living resource science and management, marine science, oceanography and ecological science, fishery economics and management, food science and engineering, and selected engineering or information fields.

Applicants should therefore select a programme because it matches their academic preparation and sector direction, not simply because it is funded. A fisheries graduate interested in stock management, an aquaculture professional seeking stronger production and biology training, and a marine-science researcher whose work fits ocean governance are closer to the purpose of the call than an applicant looking for an unrelated subject.

What the funding covers

The official call says that successful candidates receive:

• full tuition;
• accommodation;
• meals; and
• a monthly stipend.

The package also includes access to SHOU faculty and research facilities and specialized professional training in marine and aquatic sciences. The stipend amount is not stated as a fixed figure in the announcement, so this page does not invent a currency value or monthly rate.

Two expenses remain the applicant’s responsibility: international flight tickets and visa fees. These costs matter because a scholarship can cover the academic and residential package without paying for the journey to China or the immigration process. Applicants should budget for both before accepting an offer. The attached SHOU degree prospectus also describes an application fee for the university application; candidates should confirm the amount and payment instructions in the current application portal before paying anything.

Who can apply for the graduate scholarships

The call is aimed at nationals of African Development Bank Regional Member Countries. The eligibility wording is programme-specific, but the main requirements are clear.

Master’s applicants

The Master’s route requires:

• nationality of an AfDB Regional Member Country;
• experience in the fisheries or blue economy sector;
• a bachelor’s degree in a related field, or a bachelor’s degree in another field together with a clear interest in pursuing a career in fisheries or the blue economy;
• English proficiency of at least IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80;
• age under 35 at the time of application; and
• strong academic performance, with the call giving GPA 3.0 or above as an example.

The “related field” language leaves room for applicants from more than one academic background, but it does not remove the need for a credible sector connection. A degree in biology, environmental science, agriculture, economics, policy, or a nearby field can be useful when the applicant explains how the proposed study connects to fisheries, aquaculture, marine resources, or the blue economy.

PhD applicants

The PhD route is for AfDB Regional Member Country nationals with experience in the fisheries or blue economy sector who hold a relevant Master’s degree. The call names marine science, aquaculture, economics, environmental policy, development studies, and related fields as examples. PhD applicants should also be ready to show research experience, an academic record strong enough for doctoral study, and a research direction that fits a SHOU programme and potential supervisory expertise.

The SHOU degree prospectus asks doctoral applicants to provide evidence of research achievements, including at least one published scientific paper. That requirement is more demanding than the Master’s route. A PhD applicant should not rely on a broad statement of interest; the application needs a coherent research plan, relevant evidence, and a clear explanation of how the work could contribute to fisheries, aquaculture, marine science, resource management, or the wider blue economy.

English-taught applicants should use the language evidence specified by the programme. The published requirement is IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 80 or above, subject to the conditions in the SHOU materials. Applicants whose previous study was in English should still check whether the programme accepts an exemption rather than assuming one.

Documents to prepare

The call and the attached SHOU materials point applicants toward a conventional degree-application file. Prepare clear electronic copies before starting the online forms:

1. A valid passport identification page.
2. A recent personal photograph in the format requested by the portal.
3. Degree certificates and complete transcripts from previous study. Master’s applicants should prepare their bachelor’s documents; PhD applicants should prepare both bachelor’s and Master’s documents.
4. English-language evidence, where required, such as the IELTS or TOEFL result specified for the programme.
5. A personal statement explaining the chosen field, relevant experience, motivation, and intended contribution after study.
6. A research proposal or research plan for applicants pursuing doctoral study, prepared in a form suitable for discussion with a potential supervisor.
7. Evidence of research achievements for PhD applicants, including the publication evidence requested in the SHOU prospectus.
8. A foreigner physical-examination record when required by the university’s admission process.

Documents that are not in Chinese or English may need an authorized translation and notarization under the SHOU instructions. Do not upload blurred screenshots when the portal asks for official certificates or transcripts. Keep the original documents available because the university may require them for verification at registration.

How to apply

Start with the official AfDB announcement and download both the call PDF and the SHOU degree-programme prospectus. Read the programme list carefully and identify the Master’s or PhD major that matches your education and experience.

The SHOU prospectus directs applicants to register through the university’s online application system at gjxssqxt.cn, complete the application form, and upload the required documents. Scholarship applicants must also complete the scholarship submission route specified in the AfDB announcement and its application links. Completing only a university admission form is not enough if the scholarship form is a separate submission.

For a Master’s or PhD application, check the relevant supervisor information and make contact where the SHOU instructions require it. Discuss the research direction with a potential supervisor and finish the research proposal before submitting an application that depends on doctoral research. Use an email address that you monitor because the university may send interview or document requests there.

After submitting:

• save confirmation pages and copies of every uploaded document;
• watch the email address used in the application;
• log in to the SHOU application account to track the status;
• attend an interview if invited; and
• check the admission result through the application portal.

The AfDB announcement gives 10 December 2026 as the closing date for this scholarship call. Submit before that deadline and allow time for document conversion, translations, portal problems, and any second scholarship form. A late university upload or an incomplete scholarship submission can leave an otherwise eligible applicant out of consideration.

Do not confuse the summer school with the degree call

The separate AfDB announcement for the 2026 SHOU International Summer School of Food Science and Engineering described a short, practical programme rather than a Master’s or PhD admission route. It was aimed at eligible African students, scholars, faculty members, and young researchers connected with overseas higher-education institutions, excluding international students already studying in China. Applicants needed to be able to study and communicate in English.

That notice described lectures, practical training, site visits, cultural activities, and assessments. It listed tuition, accommodation, insurance, cultural experience, and other programme expenses as covered, while participants remained responsible for international travel and visa application fees. Its application deadline was 1 June 2026, and its study period was 1 July 2026 to 15 July 2026. Those dates belong only to the summer-school track. They do not replace the graduate scholarship deadline of 10 December 2026.

The summer school can suit someone who wants a short introduction to food science and engineering, aquatic product technology, or related training. It is not a substitute for the graduate degree scholarship, does not confer a Master’s or PhD place, and should not be described as an open application now that its deadline has passed.

A practical application checklist

Before submitting the graduate application, confirm that your passport details match every form. Check that your name is consistent across the passport, certificates, transcripts, and language result. Make sure scans are readable and that any required translation or notarization is complete.

Then test the academic fit. Your chosen SHOU programme should connect to your previous study or to a documented career direction in fisheries or the blue economy. For a PhD, the research proposal should identify a manageable question, explain the method and likely data, and show why SHOU is an appropriate host. A proposal that merely repeats broad goals about helping Africa will be weaker than one that names a defined fisheries, aquaculture, marine-science, food, or resource-management problem.

Finally, calculate the costs that the scholarship does not cover. Set aside funds for flights and visa fees, and confirm whether the university application fee applies to your route. Keep copies of the submitted forms, receipts, and correspondence. These small records are useful if the portal does not immediately display a status update.

Summary

The current AfDB–SHOU opportunity is an open 2026 graduate scholarship call, not a closed programme. Eligible African applicants can seek Master’s or PhD study at Shanghai Ocean University, with full tuition, accommodation, meals, and a monthly stipend. International flights and visa fees are excluded. The application deadline for this degree track is 10 December 2026.

The separate 2026 summer-school track had a 1 June 2026 deadline and a 1 July to 15 July 2026 study period. Keep that track separate in any application planning or public description. For the opportunity listed here, use the current AfDB announcement, its attached call, and the SHOU application instructions, and submit both the university and scholarship materials required by those sources.