SARAO Honours Scholarship

Fields of study

Bursaries will be awarded for BSc Honours studies, within the following fields

• Astronomy
• Astrophysics
• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Physics

Who can apply

• Be a South African citizen or a permanent resident OR a citizen of Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia or Zambia
• Have completed a BSc degree in 2025 or will be completing one in 2026, in one of the following fields
  • Physics and Mathematics (up to third year level)
  • Astronomy/Astrophysics, with Physics and Mathematics up to at least second year level
  • Computer Science and Mathematics (up to third year level)
• Have achieved a minimum average of 65% in your BSc degree studies (if you are still studying, your application will be evaluated based on most recent university results)
• Be studying or intend on studying towards a BSc Honours degree, within one of the fields of study listed above
• Be studying or intend on studying at a recognised and accredited university in South Africa

What the bursary covers

Value mentioned: R190 000, R15 000

Documents you will need

• ID document, if an SA citizen
• Passport and permanent residence visa, if a permanent resident
• University academic record, from the start of your degree until current and all other degrees completed to date (to be compiled into a single PDF Document)
• Updated Curriculum Vitae
• Motivational letter (see guidelines above for more information)
• 2 letters of reference (1 must be written by a university lecturer) (see guidelines above for more information)

Full bursary documents checklist

How to apply

1. Check the requirements

   Make sure you meet every requirement listed above. Applications that miss one are usually rejected automatically.

2. Prepare your documents

   Scan clear copies of everything the provider asks for, certified where required.

3. Apply through the official channel
   • SARAO Scholarship Application 2027
   • SARAO Honours Scholarship Guidelines

   Applications must be submitted online at: SARAO Scholarship Application 2027

4. Submit before the closing date

   Usually closes around August. Late applications are almost never accepted.

Applications for the current cycle have closed. This bursary usually opens again each year, so prepare your documents now and check back.

Genuine bursaries never charge an application fee. How to spot bursary scams

Contact the bursary provider

• Email [email protected]
• Phone 011 268 3412

Contact the provider only with questions about this bursary. StudentBursaries.co.za does not process applications.

About SARAO Honours

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) runs the MeerKAT telescope and South Africa's part in the Square Kilometre Array.