Funding for postgraduate study works differently from undergraduate bursaries. Deadlines are earlier, your supervisor matters, and you will often combine several smaller awards. Here is where to look.
1. DSI-NRF scholarships
The DSI-NRF postgraduate scholarships are the main national source of funding for Honours, Master’s and Doctoral students. Full-cost funding is reserved for students from households earning R350,000 or less, students with disabilities and exceptional achievers, and partial funding is available to other qualifying students. You apply through the NRF Connect system, usually around mid-year for the following year.
2. Research councils and science agencies
Organisations such as the CSIR, SARAO, SANSA, SANBI, the Agricultural Research Council and the Council for Geoscience fund postgraduate students in their fields, often with a link to their own research projects.
3. Industry and professional bodies
Industry associations in agriculture, food science, mining, property and engineering fund Honours and Master’s research that benefits their sector. These awards are smaller but less competitive. Browse the postgraduate bursaries in our directory.
4. Your university
Every university has postgraduate merit awards, research grants and supervisor-linked funding. Contact your postgraduate office and your prospective supervisor early, because they often know about funding that is never advertised publicly.
5. International scholarships
Fully funded programmes such as Chevening (UK), Fulbright (USA), the Kader Asmal Fellowship (Ireland), Australia Awards and the Rhodes Scholarship let you study abroad. See our international scholarships list.
Tips for postgraduate applicants
- Start a year ahead. Many deadlines fall in the year before you register.
- Check internal university deadlines, which can be weeks earlier than the funder’s.
- Prepare a short, clear research proposal and ask referees early.
- Apply to several funders and check whether awards can be combined.