University in South Africa
Muizenberg, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
University profile
The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) South Africa, in Muizenberg, Cape Town, is a postgraduate training and research institute in the mathematical sciences. It describes AIMS as Africa's first network of centres of excellence focused on the mathematical sciences, and AIMS South Africa was founded in 2003 through partnerships between leading South African and international universities.
The institute is a South African charitable trust governed by a Board of Trustees, with strategic oversight from a Council of partner universities. Its pillars are Academics, the Research Centre and Science and Society. Its mission is to develop scientific talent and support research that addresses real-world challenges.
The main teaching programme is an intensive one-year, fully residential Structured Master's in Mathematical Science, with two streams: Mathematical Sciences and AI for Science. A one-year BSc Honours in Mathematics with a focus on Biomathematics is offered jointly with Stellenbosch University, and the AIMS Research Centre hosts Research Master's and PhD students.
Research groups at the Research Centre include:
Science and Society work includes the AIMS Schools Enrichment Centre (AIMSSEC), the House of Science and the AI Research Foundations for Higher Education project.
Students live on site in a residential environment, with accommodation at AIMS in Muizenberg and meals at the AIMS canteen. The Master's is open to citizens of African countries who are resident in Africa; the About page cites 44 African countries represented among its students.
Accreditation and registration: AIMS states that it is not a degree-granting institution. Its Master's degree is accredited by the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and the University of the Western Cape, and Master's and PhD students are formally registered with one of these three founding partner universities, through which degrees are jointly awarded.
Admitted Structured Master's students receive a scholarship covering flights to and from South Africa, airport transfers, medical insurance, tuition and research fees, a stipend of R2,200 per month, on-site accommodation at 6 Melrose Road, Muizenberg, and three meals a day at the AIMS canteen. Funds are managed by AIMS and not paid into students' bank accounts; the stipend is paid into a South African bank account. Applicants apply through the Master's application, with applications open January to March. Students who have previously held an AIMS-centre scholarship are not eligible.
The AI for Science stream is funded by Google DeepMind, whose donation funds 40 scholars per year for four years from September 2023, covering full scholarships, equipment and computation costs (ai.aims.ac.za). See the prospective students page.
AIMS South Africa Structured Master's Scholarship (Mathematical Sciences) →
Google DeepMind Scholarship at AIMS South Africa (AI for Science Master's) →
Browse the scholarships listed for African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) South Africa and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) South Africa →Applicants must be resident in Africa at the time of application (not applicable to students displaced by war), be citizens of an African country, and have completed a four-year undergraduate degree or a three-year degree with an honours year by August (September intake) or December (South African applicants, January intake). They must not have held a previous scholarship to study at an AIMS centre. The degree may be in physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science, engineering or another discipline with a strong computational and mathematical component; in the French LMD system the equivalent is an M1 year.
Apply online: Mathematical Sciences stream or AI for Science stream. Upload undergraduate and postgraduate transcripts, a CV, cover letter and sample work. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed online. The academic year runs from September to the end of June; applications are open from January to March. The AI for Science stream has a September intake only; the Mathematical Sciences stream also has a January intake for South African applicants, with applications open August to October of the preceding year.
A good BSc majoring in Mathematics with some biological or biomedical courses, or an equivalent qualification; apply via the Stellenbosch University Faculty of Science postgraduate page.
Open to graduates holding a four-year degree or a three-year degree plus honours (Master's) or a Master's or equivalent (PhD). Positions are advertised on the AIMS website as they become available.
The second half of the BSc Honours in Biomathematics is taught at Stellenbosch University.
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