Founded 2026 · Youth-led
A new youth-led institute — open to students, mentors, and partners. We help you discover scholarships, navigate admissions, and step into universities and programs worldwide.
"Save lives with a word. Liberate a society with education."
Open to
Students in South Sudan, the diaspora & refugee settings
Programs tracked
200+ scholarships across 20+ countries
Cost to students
Free at the core — small fees only for intensive services
Year founded
2026 · A new institute, growing publicly
Who we are
SSSI was founded in 2026 by South Sudanese students who believe global education should be a real option for every young person from our communities — not just those with luck and connections.
We are not an agency, a recruiter, or a bureaucracy. We are a small, growing team of mentors, volunteers, and alumni building an honest, free path to scholarships and admission worldwide.
Honesty
We tell students the truth about their chances.
Specificity
Guidance specific to your profile.
Equity
We prioritize students with the most need.
Accountability
We track what we do — openly.
Why SSSI
Every scholarship is verified for eligibility from South Sudan, the diaspora, or refugee settings.
Scholarship discovery, mentorship matching, and resources are free. A few intensive services — IELTS/DET test prep, full application support, and one-to-one school matching — carry a small fee to cover coaching time.
Run by students who recently navigated these applications themselves — with senior advisors behind the work.
Founded in 2026. We share what we know, name what we do not, and grow in public.
Programs
A complete pathway — from the first scholarship search to the day you arrive on campus.
Open access
A continuously updated, filterable database of fully and partially funded opportunities open to South Sudanese applicants.
Application cycle
Structured mentor matching from shortlist to submission, with monthly check-ins through your application year.
Rolling
Targeted feedback rounds on personal statements, scholarship essays, and supplemental questions.
Self-paced + cohorts
IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo English Test, and SAT/ACT guidance — including a free 60-day IELTS plan.
Live + recorded
Monthly online sessions with mentors, scholars, and admissions specialists. Free and open to register.
Continuous
Education framed as preparation for long-term leadership at home and across the diaspora.
Services at a glance
Fully and partially funded opportunities across undergraduate, graduate, and exchange programs.
Step-by-step help shortlisting universities, building timelines, and submitting strong applications.
Honest, specific feedback on personal statements, motivation letters, and supplemental essays.
Conversations with students and alumni who have navigated international applications themselves.
Education framed as a tool for peace and long-term leadership for South Sudan.
Regular updates on newly opened scholarship windows and deadlines for South Sudanese applicants.
Co-founders
Two students who believe education changes everything.
Founder & Executive Director · SSSI
"Save lives with a word. Liberate a society with education."
Martin Kuol Kuol Chol is a South Sudanese writer, education advocate, and aspiring economist. His work explores the social, economic, and public issues shaping South Sudan, with a focus on truth, unity, and equal opportunity.
Co-Founder · Head of Strategy, Content & Community
"We are building a generation of students who will turn struggle into leadership, and education into transformation."
Jacob Thiep Madut is the strategic and creative force behind SSSI's voice, content, and direction. As Head of Strategy and Content, he shapes how SSSI communicates its mission — ensuring that every message, every guide, and every post reflects the seriousness and ambition the platform stands for.
Where students go
Our database concentrates on destinations with verified scholarship pathways for South Sudanese applicants.
🇨🇦
Canada
Mastercard Foundation Scholars across Toronto, McGill, UBC, and partner schools.
🇬🇧
United Kingdom
Chevening, Commonwealth, Gates Cambridge, Clarendon, and university-specific awards.
🇺🇸
United States
Need-blind aid at top universities, Fulbright, Yale Young African Scholars, MasterCard at AUC.
🇩🇪
Germany
DAAD and tuition-free public universities for graduate study.
🇹🇷
Türkiye
Türkiye Bursları — a full government scholarship open to South Sudanese citizens.
🇯🇵
Japan
MEXT Scholarship for undergraduate, graduate, and research students.
🌍
Rwanda & Ghana
ALU, Ashesi, and Kepler — leading African universities with strong scholarship support.
🇿🇦
South Africa
Mandela Rhodes, ALA, and partner universities for African graduates.
Student journey
01
Discover
Browse our searchable scholarship database filtered for South Sudanese applicants.
02
Plan
Build a realistic application timeline with help from our resources and mentors.
03
Prepare
Sharpen essays, test prep, and recommendations with structured guidance.
04
Apply
Submit polished applications with peer review and mentor feedback.
05
Decide & Depart
Choose between offers, prepare for visa, and join the SSSI alumni community.
Year-one targets
We are new. Instead of inventing numbers, here is what we are working toward in 2026 — and what we will report publicly.
Target
100+ verified programs
Scholarships catalogued
Target
10 trained mentors
Mentor cohort
Target
12 sessions, all recorded
Live webinars
Target
20+ free guides and templates
Resource library
Target
10 confirmed partner institutions
Partner network
Context
The opportunity is real — the information gap is what stops most students from reaching it.
Tens of thousands of fully funded scholarships are awarded to African students every year — most go unclaimed for lack of information.
Source · Public scholarship data, 2024
Mastercard Foundation has pledged to support 100,000 young Africans through education by 2030.
Source · Mastercard Foundation
Several top US universities meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted international students.
Source · Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT financial aid offices
South Sudan is an eligible country for Commonwealth, Chevening, Fulbright, DAAD, MEXT, and Türkiye Bursları.
Source · Programme websites, 2026
Upcoming
August 12, 2026
How to find your story, structure it, and write a statement admissions committees remember.
RegisterSeptember 2, 2026
Eligibility, timeline, essays, and interview prep for the MCF program at partner universities.
RegisterSeptember 23, 2026
A realistic, free study plan for the four IELTS modules.
RegisterGuides & insights
Free, downloadable playbooks and templates — the same ones we use with our mentees.
Essay · PDF
Structure, voice, editing — with an annotated successful example. 8-page professional guide.
Download PDFApplications · PDF
Every section of the Common Application, in the exact order to complete it.
Download PDFTest Prep · PDF
A free four-phase study plan with weekly schedule, mock-test cadence, and band-7 targets per module.
Download PDFPlanning · PDF
Printable tracker with status definitions, materials checklist, and deadline calendar for major programs.
Download PDFApplications · PDF
Whom to ask, when to ask, what to send — including a model brief email.
Download PDFEssay · PDF
Four-paragraph structure with a complete 450-word sample. Honest, specific, no performance.
Download PDFPrefer articles? Read the SSSI blog for deep-dive stories and analysis.
Read the blog →FAQ
Quick answers about what SSSI is and how it works.
Success stories
Help us write the next chapter — for the next student from your community.
Whether you're a student, mentor, or partner — there's a place for you at SSSI.
