Join the AREF Network

Apply to AREF

Your application begins with an Expression of Interest. Selection is competitive and merit-based, reviewed by the AREF Steering Committee.

Selection Criteria
What We Look For in an AREF Fellow

Selection is competitive. Your research direction, supervisory capacity, and commitment to structured research development are the primary criteria.

Research Direction
A defined focus in genomics, bioinformatics, or computational biology with clear scientific rationale.
Supervisory Capacity
Demonstrated or developing capacity to supervise students at UG, MSc, or doctoral levels.
Commitment to Structure
Willingness to develop a formal, scalable research track and engage consistently with the AREF network.
Publication Ambition
Genuine orientation towards generating research outputs from student cohort work.
Academic Integrity
Full commitment to the academic integrity standards required of all AREF Research Fellows.
Institutional Affiliation
Active academic affiliation with a recognised institution, with capacity to supervise students formally.
First Steps
Onboarding Once Accepted

Your allocation is only fully active once your acceptance is acknowledged and your Research Track Blueprint is submitted.

1
Acknowledge your acceptance letter
Confirm via email using your institutional email address.
Within 5 days of receipt
2
Attend the AREF Induction & Alignment Briefing
Your formal entry into the network. Covers the Research Track concept, student cohort activation, and your first assignment. Not optional.
Within 2 weeks of acceptance
3
Submit your Research Track Blueprint
Complete the template covering Research Theme, Dataset Strategy, Student Layering Model, and Publication Pathway.
Within 4 weeks of acceptance
4
Join the AREF Research Network channel
Connect with fellow network members and receive event invitations.
Upon onboarding
5
Identify and confirm your first student cohort
Align students to your Research Track and initiate their projects.
Within 6–8 weeks
Important Notice
Fellows who do not complete onboarding milestones within the stipulated timeframes may have their allocation deferred to the next cycle.
Expression of Interest
Submit your details to begin the AREF application review process. All fields marked * are required.
Personal Information
Research Profile
Referee & Reference
Supporting Documents
Click to upload or drag and drop
PDF, DOC, DOCX — max 5MB
Click to upload your research proposal
PDF, DOC, DOCX — max 5MB
Final Details
Your application will be reviewed by the AREF Steering Committee.
Expected response within 10 working days of submission.
Application Submitted
Thank you — your Expression of Interest has been received by the AREF Secretariat. You will hear from us within 10 working days. Please check your institutional email for confirmation.