Apply

This page is only for students. It contains information about how to apply for WNSF scholarship.

Introduction

The Wouter Nolet Scholarship Fund (WNSF) provides scholarships to qualified health care workers in Sierra Leone enabling them to join the advanced trainings of three NGO’s: CapaCare, German Doctors and Partners in Health.

WNSF operates completely independent, separately from the three NGO’s. It makes use of the services of CapaCare Sierra Leone to make direct payments to students possible and to perform all kind of other local activities.

Non-pin coded

Students, who are pincoded (as they have medical employment contracts with the government) or who have income from other sources are excluded from WNSF scholarship. WNSF is exclusively for those who lack income to cover their personal daily costs of living.

Grant

The WNSF scholarship is meant as a grant to replenish the basic allowance that students receive from their NGO’s. The grant should cover the personal costs of the student  including: food, study material, computer, communication and transport. Housing (accommodation) and school fees are considered to be carried by the NGO’s.

The amount of scholarship is valued at Sierra Leonse Leone (SLL) 750.000 per month. The scholarship applies to the entire 3-year period of the advanced training. It does not include the previous 2-year basic medical education of the School of Medical Science in Makeni. The grant will be paid out in monthly parts, directly to the (preferably UBA) Bank account of the student.

Pre-conditions

The student, who has passed the entrance assessment of one of the advanced trainings (of CapaCare, German Doctors and Partners in Health), may apply for scholarship if he/she meets the following pre-conditions:

  • Not receiving a governmental salary (non-pin-coded)
  • Prepared to work after graduation in health care settings in rural areas in Sierra Leone for at least 3 years
  • Prepared to work in outreach projects (to gain work experience) as part of the advanced trainings

Bringing in some work experience in a relevant field of medical practice is an advantage.

A special Committee of Allocation, consisting of representatives of WNSF, CapaCare Netherlands, German Doctors and Partners in Health, handles the applications and decides who will receive a grant from the WNSF fund.

Criteria for selection are among others: motivation of the applicant, prepared to work for his/her country and evidence of the applicant’s need and the potential impact the grant would have.

WNSF will communicate the outcome of the decision directly to the students. CapaCare Sierra Leone is in charge with the payments to the students and the Feedback of the study results.

Agreement

The student has to sign a Terms & Conditions agreement to adhere to some strict declarations. For example, he/she declares that he/she prepared to work in Sierra Leone for at least 3 years after graduation. 

Besides that, WNSF holds the student responsible for his/her study performance and reserves the right to terminate the scholarship if the results are below a certain minimum standard. 

Ther student allows WNSF to publish his/her name and motivation on his Website, Social Media application, posters and beneficiary networks.

Application procedure,  step by step

1. To start the application, the applicant should register first. Open this link to the Registration Form and fill out the questions of the form. After completion, save the form on your computer.

2. Thereafter, open this link to the Terms & Conditions. Read the declarations carefully and, if you are prepared to abide by the declarations, put your first and last name as well as date of application at the bottom of the document. Save the document on your computer.

3. Then, start a new E-mail, addressed to info@wnsf.nl, with the subject ‘scholarship application’ and attach the Registration form and the ‘signed’ Terms & Conditions document. By submitting these two forms the applicant declares to have applied for scholarship and to have agreed to the Terms & Conditions.

Upon receipt of your E-mail and attachments WNSF will take care of your official application.

4. In order to be able to process your application we need to receive some more documents.

a. Motivation Letter (max 2MB)

Indication: describe your motivation for the advanced training and why you need the extra  money from WNSF? Questions that may help you preparing the letter are:

– Why did you choose for working in health care

– Where do you foresee yourself working in 10 years from now?

– What are -to your opinion- the most important characteristics of a health care worker?

b. Curriculum Vitae (max 2MB)

At the very least, a Curriculum Vitae should include contact information, previous education, specific skills, work experience (if applicable) and references (name, telephone number, connection you have with them) that we can check.

c. Transcript of Academic Records

Also the transcript of your Academic Records ( Grade list) of the School for Clinical Sience in Makeni (SCSM) should be included. You can be sure that we treat this information confidentially.

5. Start a new E-mail, addressed to info@wnsf.nl, with the subject ‘scholarship application’ and attach your Motivation Letter, Curriculum Vitae and copy of the Transcript of Academic Records.

6. Upon receipt of these documents WNSF may ask additional information.

7. When your application file is complete (only complete applications written in English can be accepted) the applicant receives a confirmation e-mail stating that his/her application has been received and submitted to the Committee of Allocation.

8. It takes about one month after receipt of your complete application to make an admission decision. WNSF will communicate the decision to you by E-mail.