AL HAYATSOLUTIONS
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Al Hayat Pathways · Opportunity Shortlist
Opportunity Shortlist: fully funded master's in water engineering
Five real scholarships and one sponsored work route, each checked against a civil engineering graduate's record from Freetown.
United Kingdom, Germany and Saudi Arabia: where the shortlist points.
Please read firstThis is not a guarantee of admission, funding, job or visa. Universities, scholarship committees, employers and consulates make their own decisions. Our role is to find options that fit your record, show you the gaps plainly and help you apply truthfully.
01Your profile
Verified means we have seen the document. To confirm means you told us and we still need the evidence.
| Item | Detail | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Sierra Leone; passport valid to 2031 | Verified |
| Degree | B.Eng. Civil Engineering, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, 2023 | Verified |
| Classification | Second Class Upper Division | Verified |
| Final project | Gravity-fed water supply design for a peri-urban community | Verified |
| Work | Graduate engineer, water and sanitation contractor, Freetown, since May 2024 | To confirm |
| Volunteering | Organised hand-pump repair days with a youth association, 2021–2023 | To confirm |
| English | IELTS Academic 7.0 overall; undergraduate study in English | Verified |
| Goal | Master's in water or environmental engineering, then rural water supply at home | Verified |
02Shortlist at a glance
| Opportunity | Host | Deadline | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening Scholarships | United Kingdom | 2026 call closed 6 Oct | Match Next call: watch the official page |
| Commonwealth Master's Scholarships | United Kingdom | 20 Oct 2026 | To confirm: nomination |
| DAAD EPOS | Germany | Aug–Oct, by course | Match To confirm: course |
| Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Edinburgh | United Kingdom | 19 Nov 2026 | To confirm: financial need |
| KAUST Fellowship | Saudi Arabia | 3 Jan 2027 | Gap: admission needed |
| EU Blue Card (work route) | Germany | Rolling | Gap: job offer |
We do not give chances or percentages. Nobody can calculate them honestly.
03Chevening Scholarships
- Provider
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
- Covers
- Tuition, stipend, flights, visa, arrival and departure allowances
- Deadline
- The 2026 call closed on 6 October 2026; the next call date is on the official page
| Requirement | Your record | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Citizen of a Chevening-eligible country | Sierra Leone is eligible | Match |
| Return home for at least two years after the award | Your stated goal | Match |
| Degree that gives entry to a UK master's | Second Class Upper, B.Eng. | Match |
| Two years' work experience (2,800 hours) | About 28 months full-time by the deadline | To confirm |
| Apply to three eligible UK courses | No applications yet | Gap |
Our view: eligible, but this year's call has closed. Use the time before the next call: get the employer letter confirming hours and draft the four essays in your own words.
04Commonwealth Master's Scholarships
- Provider
- Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK
- Covers
- Tuition, stipend, flights, study travel grant, child allowance
- Deadline
- 20 October 2026 (the national nominating body closes earlier)
| Requirement | Your record | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Citizen of an eligible Commonwealth country | Sierra Leone | Match |
| Nominated by a national nominating body | Sierra Leone's nominating agency sets its own earlier deadline | To confirm |
| First degree at upper second class or above | Second Class Upper | Match |
| Unable to afford UK study without the award | Statement needed | To confirm |
| Course linked to a CSC development theme | Water supply fits | Match |
Our view: strong fit. The first task this week is the nominating body's date and form.
05DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS)
- Provider
- DAAD, Germany
- Covers
- Tuition, stipend, insurance, flights
- Window
- August–October; each course sets its own deadline
| Requirement | Your record | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| At least two years' professional experience | About 28 months by October | Match |
| Degree completed no more than six years ago | 2023 | Match |
| Course on the EPOS list in a water field | Two candidate courses identified | To confirm |
| Language level set by the course | IELTS 7.0 | Match |
| Motivation linked to home-country development | Rural water supply | Match |
Our view: good fit. Confirm the two courses' deadlines this week; one may close in early October.
06Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, University of Edinburgh
- Provider
- Mastercard Foundation and the University of Edinburgh
- Covers
- Tuition, stipend, flights, accommodation, laptop and study materials
- Deadline
- 19 November 2026
| Requirement | Your record | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Citizen of a sub-Saharan African country | Sierra Leone | Match |
| Demonstrated financial need | Household income documents needed | To confirm |
| Commitment to give back to your community | Hand-pump repair days; letter requested | To confirm |
| Offer or application for an eligible master's | Not yet applied | Gap |
Our view: apply. The gap closes when you submit the Edinburgh programme application in October.
07KAUST Fellowship
- Provider
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
- Covers
- Tuition, stipend, accommodation, insurance, relocation support
- Deadline
- 3 January 2027
| Requirement | Your record | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| STEM bachelor's degree | B.Eng. Civil Engineering | Match |
| Admission to a KAUST master's (Environmental Science and Engineering) | Not yet applied | Gap |
| English test | IELTS 7.0 | Match |
| GRE | Programme rules to check | To confirm |
Our view: a strong second-round option. KAUST funds admitted students through the fellowship, so the work is the admission file itself.
08Sponsored work route: Germany, EU Blue Card
- Sectors
- IT, engineering, medicine, sciences
- Salary threshold
- €50,700 a year (€45,934 in shortage roles)
| Requirement | Your record | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Recognised university degree | German recognition check needed | To confirm |
| Job offer at the threshold | None yet | Gap |
| Engineering as a shortage occupation | Civil engineering | Match |
Our view: not a route today. After a DAAD-funded master's in Germany, graduates can look for work there; that is when this becomes realistic.
09Application calendar
- This weekEmployer letter and nominating bodyLetter confirming start date and full-time hours; the Commonwealth nomination form and date.
- Before the next callChevening: three courses and four essaysYour writing, two review rounds with us.
- OctoberDAAD EPOS courses and Edinburgh programme applicationBy each course's own deadline.
- 20 OctoberCommonwealth Master's deadline
- 19 NovemberMastercard Foundation Scholars, Edinburgh
- 3 January 2027KAUST admission and fellowship
10Document checklist
- Passport copyIn your portal.
- IELTS test reportValid to mid-2027.
- Degree certificate and transcriptScanned in colour.
- Employer letter with hoursNeeded for Chevening and DAAD.
- Volunteering letterRequested from the association.
- Two academic references and one professionalSubmitted by referees.
- Financial statementCommonwealth and Mastercard Foundation.
- Personal statementsYour words; we review, we do not write them.
- CV, academic formatTwo pages at most.
- Final project summaryOne page.
Our principleEvery application we support is truthful, personal and traceable. This is not a guarantee of admission, funding, job or visa; it is the best way we know to give you a fair chance.