LWF Scholarships for Developing Countries 2022

Deadline: October 15, 2022

The annual call for scholarships in theology and Diakonia opens on 1 August. The deadline for submission of applications is 15 October. The LWF informs the churches and LWF national committees of the decisions taken by the LWF Scholarship Committee in December.

Each LWF member church is eligible to apply for 7 scholarships—5 regular and 2 short-term scholarships. Applications can be for individual or group scholarships and include studies in theology and/or Diakonia. Kindly read the Scholarship Implementing Guidelines before submitting your application.

Eligibility Criteria

Each LWF member church is eligible to apply for 7 scholarships—5 for regular studies and 2 for short-term programs. Applications can be for individual or group scholarships and include studies in theology and/or Diakonia.

Only candidates who fulfill the following criteria are eligible to apply for an LWF scholarship:

Church affiliation of the candidate: Only applications from active members of LWF member churches are considered. No applications submitted by individuals will be considered.
Nationality of the candidate: Only candidates from developing countries are eligible for scholarships in fields of Diakonia/development. The theological scholarships are open to candidates from all regions and countries.
Age limits: The following age limits are in place, depending on the pursued degree and with certain exceptions, particularly for female applicants*:

Degree	Maximum age at the time of application*
Bachelor degrees	35
Master degrees	40
Doctorate	45
Post-doctoral/research	50

*Special considerations:

For candidates who are church employees at the time of application, these age limits may be exceeded upon special request.
Relatively higher consideration is made for female candidates who exceed the age limits due to social and cultural factors which cause them to pursue studies later.

Selection Criteria

Strategic priorities and human resource needs of the church: A proposed study field and degree must respond to strategic priorities and human resource needs of the church in the area of theology and Diakonia. The requesting church must demonstrate convincingly how a given application would meet a specific need and priorities and how the particular scholarship will benefit the church and the local communities beyond very general terms.
The current and future position of the candidate: All candidates are expected to be serving the church and/or community as employees or volunteers. There must be a clear commitment by the church to engage the candidate as an employee or volunteer in an area related to the proposed training after completion of the candidate’s studies/training. All applications must be accompanied by a description of the planned future role.
Motivation and commitment of candidate: The candidate must demonstrate convincingly his/her commitment, ability, and motivation to pursue the training. It is also required that the candidate demonstrates how the knowledge and skills gained through the proposed studies will benefit the church and/or local communities. The candidate must show a strong commitment to support the church after completion of studies and to contribute to the life of the church and local communities.
Study place: The LWF encourages candidates to study in their home country or home region. In case a study or training program abroad is proposed, valid reasons must be provided in the application.
Gender and youth quota: At least 40% of the approved candidates will be female; at least 20% will be youth below the age of 30 years. For each applying church, these quotas must be met overall for all the proposed candidates, as well as for each of the proposed areas of study (theology and Diakonia).
Regional balance: The LWF seeks to ensure that candidates from different regions, countries, and churches are being supported.

Application Registration Deadline: 15th October 2022

To Apply: Click here

Official Website: Click here