About the National Research Foundation (NRF):
The National Research Foundation (NRF) is an autonomous government agency in South Africa that was founded approximately 20 years ago. Its primary role is to act as a liaison between South Africa’s research institutions and the policies and strategies of the South African Government. The NRF’s mission is to promote research by developing human resources, providing funding, and establishing research facilities across various sectors.
The NRF has three major aims:
- Encouraging research and innovation through the Research and Innovation Support and Advancement (RISA).
- Promoting the fields of science and technology through the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA).
- Supporting research by establishing research facilities.
DSI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarship 2025-2026:
The NRF is offering the DSI-NRF Postgraduate Student Funding opportunity for the academic year . This scholarship is available for Honours, Master’s, and Doctoral level studies in the fields of Science, Engineering, Technology (SET), as well as Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH).
The scholarship provides the following benefits:
- Full Cost of Study (FCS) or Partial Cost of Study (PCS), depending on the candidate’s eligibility and requirements.
- FCS is provided to economically disadvantaged students (household income less than R350,000 per year), students with disabilities, or those with exceptional academic records. Candidates qualifying for FCS may receive PCS due to budget constraints.
- FCS covers tuition costs, accommodation expenses, living expenses, transport allowances, food allowances, and electronic devices for study.
- PCS covers tuition costs, accommodation expenses, living expenses, and transport allowances.
The funding is available from Honours to Doctoral-level studies, depending on the candidate’s performance at each degree level.
Eligibility Criteria:
Candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria before applying for the scholarship:
For Honours studies (first-time):
- South African citizenship.
- Age not older than 28 years at the time of application.
- For FCS (exceptional achiever): A combined minimum average score of 75% in all major subjects in the last year of undergraduate.
- For FCS (economically disadvantaged or disabled): A combined minimum score of 65% in all major subjects in the last year of undergraduate.
- For PCS: A combined average score of 65% in the last year of undergraduate.
For Master’s studies (first-time):
- South African citizenship.
- Age not older than 30 years at the time of application.
- Enrollment as a full-time student for the second or third year of the Master’s program.
- For FCS (exceptional achiever): A combined average score of 75% in all subjects in the honours, diploma, or four-year degree program.
- For FCS (economically disadvantaged or disabled): A combined average score of 65% in all subjects in the honours, diploma, or four-year degree program.
- For PCS: A combined average score of 65% in all subjects in the honours, diploma, or four-year degree program.
For Doctorate studies (first-time):
- South African citizenship.
- Age not older than 32 years at the time of application.
- Enrollment as a full-time student for the second, third year, or fourth year of the doctorate program.
- For FCS (exceptional achiever): A combined average score of 75% in all subjects in the Master’s degree.
- For FCS (economically disadvantaged or disabled): A combined average score of 65% in all subjects in the Master’s degree.
- For PCS: A combined average score of 65% in all subjects in the Master’s degree.
Candidates should also be enrolled in one of the listed institutions of higher education in South Africa.
How to Apply:
To apply for the scholarship, candidates need to submit their applications online via the DSI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarship Application for 2025-2026.
Candidates are encouraged to read all the relevant documents before applying, including application guides and funding frameworks, which are provided on the application page.
Required Documents:
Applicants must submit the following documents along with their application form. All documents are mandatory, and any missing document could lead to the disqualification of the application:
- Certified copies of ID documents.
- Academic transcripts and records from tertiary education.
- Proof of enrollment at one of the listed institutions.
- Proof of household income (payslips/affidavit/SASSA grant letter).
- Recent progress report (if applying for an extension of the bursary).
Closing Date:
The application deadlines vary depending on the level of study and type of scholarship:
- For Honours studies: 24 November
- For Master’s studies (first-time): 18 July (extension)
- For Doctoral studies (first-time): 18 July (extension)
- For Master’s and Doctoral Extension Support studies: 18 August
Designated Authority (DA) closing dates:
- For Honours applications: 22 December
- For Master’s applications (first-time): 4 September
- For Doctoral applications (first-time): 4 September
- Master’s and Doctoral Extension Support applications: 29 September
Contact Details:
For inquiries regarding the scholarship program, candidates can contact the NRF through various contact persons and email addresses, as specified in the provided list for different types of inquiries and programs.
