Once a year, IBFD awards a scholarship through its Centre for Studies in African Taxation (CSAT). CSAT is an integral part of IBFD, an independent not-for-profit foundation that provides high-quality information and education on international taxation. Open to employees of African tax authorities, the CSAT Scholarship is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Established in 2015, CSAT is a fully autonomous think tank dedicated to the study and development of African taxation.In 1938, the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD), was established as a small centre staffed by 4 researchers. The purpose of this bureau was to supply information concerning (the application of) tax law and to stimulate the development of tax science. From that day, IBFD has steadily grown into what it is today: the world’s foremost authority on cross-border taxation.
Requirements for the CSAT Scholarship
Employees of an African tax authority, meeting all of the following criteria, may apply for the scholarship. The candidate:
- Has been an employee of a tax authority for at least three years
- Has a university degree in law, economics or business administration and a proven interest in tax law
- Is proficient in the English language
- Is willing to actively participate in the classroom
- Has an open mind towards different cultures
How the CSAT Scholarship is awarded
The following factors are taken into consideration in awarding the scholarship
- A letter from the employer confirming the employment status and that the applicant will return after completion of the scholarship
- Grades obtained by the applicant in his or her first degree
- Whether the applicant has demonstrated international mobility by pursuing a joint university study programme or has previously been granted an award to study outside his or her home country
- Whether the applicant has published articles related to tax law in an academic journal and the quality of those articles
- Other academic achievements
Benefits:
Within this framework, the CSAT Scholarship annually offers the following package to the most promising employee from an African tax authority:
- Full tuition fees for the UvA-IBFD Advanced Master’s in International Tax Law (LLM programme)
- A six-month internship at IBFD’s headquarters in Amsterdam upon completion of the LLM
- A monthly stipend for living expenses for the duration of the scholarship
About the IBFD internship
- Upon successful completion of the LLM programme, the scholarship will then progress with a six-month internship at IBFD’s headquarters, also based in Amsterdam. Here you will work with, and continue to learn from, our core team of nearly 200 experts from over 40 countries.
- This core team liaises daily with a global network of authors and correspondents to maintain IBFD’s position as the pre-eminent authority on cross-border taxation. Throughout the duration of the CSAT Scholarship, the successful candidate will also receive a small monthly stipend towards living expenses.
Application Procedure:
The LLM programme starts in September every year and applications must be received by 1 April of the same year. The application process has the following steps:
1. The candidate applies for the LLM (see link below)
2. The candidate pays the LLM application fee (approximately EUR 125)
3. The candidate sends all required documents to the LLM student services (see link below)
4. When sending the above-mentioned documents, the candidate should include a motivation letter for the scholarship, together with a 2,000-word essay on the challenges and opportunities for African taxation
5. The University of Amsterdam will first assess the candidate’s credentials and determine his or her eligibility for the LLM
6. If the candidate is eligible, the application will be forwarded to the CSAT Scholarship
committee
7. All forwarded applications will be considered in accordance with the factors detailed under
How the CSAT Scholarship is awarded
8. A decision will be made and communicated to all forwarded candidates
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