Global Africa Translation Fellowship 2026: Up to $5,000 Grant to Translate African and Diaspora Texts into English, Arabic, and Beyond

The Global Africa Translation Fellowship 2026, hosted by The Africa Institute at Global Studies University in Sharjah, UAE, is now open for applications. This non-residential fellowship provides funding of up to $5,000 to support the translation of significant works from the African continent and its diaspora into English or Arabic, with other target languages also considered.

As part of The Africa Institute’s African Languages and Translation Program, this initiative seeks to broaden global access to essential texts in African and African Diaspora studies, including literary, theoretical, and critical works that have shaped intellectual traditions across the Global South.

About The Africa Institute

The Africa Institute is a research and academic institution dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of Africa and its global connections. Based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, the Institute fosters scholarship, translation, publication, and dialogue that expands global understanding of African intellectual and cultural production.

The Global Africa Translation Fellowship reflects the Institute’s commitment to linguistic accessibility, knowledge circulation, and scholarly exchange across regions.

Fellowship Overview

The Global Africa Translation Fellowship is designed to:

• Make foundational African and African Diaspora texts accessible to wider global audiences

• Support translators working across the Global South

• Encourage retranslations of classic works

• Fund previously untranslated texts

• Promote poetry, prose, and critical theory translations

The fellowship is non-residential, meaning fellows complete their translation projects remotely and are not required to relocate to the UAE.

Funding ranges from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on:

• Project scope

• Complexity

• Quality of proposal

• Feasibility within the fellowship timeframe

Why This Fellowship Matters

Translation plays a vital role in:

• Knowledge democratization

• Decolonizing academic discourse

• Amplifying African voices

• Strengthening Global South intellectual exchange

By funding translation projects, the fellowship enables African scholarship and literature to reach broader audiences and reshape global conversations.

What Types of Projects Are Eligible?

Eligible translation projects include:

• Previously untranslated African literary or theoretical works

• Retranslations of classic texts

• Poetry collections

• Prose works

• Critical theory texts

• Works-in-progress

• Newly conceived projects that can be completed within the fellowship period

The fellowship is flexible in allowing projects that are either underway or newly initiated, provided they are feasible within the grant timeframe.

Funding Structure

Grant Amount: $1,000–$5,000

Disbursement:

• First installment at project commencement

• Second installment upon successful completion

Recipients must submit a copy of the completed translation for archival purposes. The Institute will not publish or use the translation without the awardee’s consent.

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship is open to applicants from across the Global South.

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Strong translation capacity

• Academic or professional expertise

• Ability to complete the proposed work

Selection is based on:

• Quality of proposal

• Significance of text

• Feasibility

• Demonstrated scholarly or translation experience

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit the following:

1. Two-page CV/Resume

   • Institutional affiliation

   • Highest degree obtained

   • Key publications or translation works

2. Two-page Project Summary (single-spaced, font 12)

   • Description of translation

   • Significance of the work

   • Justification for re-translation (if applicable)

   • Proposed completion dates

3. 4–5-page Sample (double-spaced, font 12)

   • Original text excerpt

   • Corresponding translation

4. Copyright Documentation

   • If not in the public domain

   • Copy of copyright notice

   • Letter from copyright holder confirming English-language rights availability

Attachments must not exceed 3 MB each.

Applications must be submitted through the online platform. Email submissions are not accepted.

Selection Process

Applications are reviewed by:

• Faculty members

• Research fellows at The Africa Institute

Selection criteria include:

• Scholarly rigor

• Translation quality

• Cultural significance

• Clarity of proposal

• Feasibility

Application Deadline

Thursday, March 12, 2026.

Late submissions will not be considered.

APPLY HERE

Contact Information

For inquiries: applications@theafricainstitute.org

Click here for more information about the Global Africa Translation Fellowship programme 2026.

Discover more fellowship opportunities here.