About South African National Space Agency (SANSA):
The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) was established under the South African National Space Agency Act, 36 of 2008, with the mandate to promote and use space and cooperate in space-related activities, foster research in space science, advance scientific engineering through human capital, and support the creation of an environment conducive to industrial development in space technologies within the framework of national government policy.
SANSA operates four main Agency programs: Earth Observation, Space Science, Space Operations, and Space Engineering, offering opportunities in space science and technology.
The Space Science Program leads multi-disciplinary space science research and applications, including fundamental and applied space science research, data acquisition, scientific data coordination and administration, and the provision of space weather and magnetic technology products and services. SANSA contributes to the global network of magnetic observatories monitoring the Earth’s magnetic field and participates in global scientific projects. The program also supports postgraduate student training and provides science advancement, public engagement, and support for learners and educators in STEM subjects.
SANSA Bursaries 2025-2026:
SANSA is offering bursaries to qualified South African citizens pursuing postgraduate degrees (honours and up) in space-related fields at South African universities. SANSA will provide guidance to students on suitable projects and supervisors if needed.
The bursaries aim to increase the number of science and engineering graduates in South Africa. SANSA’s postgraduate degree bursaries contribute to the national target for qualified postgraduates in science and engineering.
For the 2025-2026 academic year, SANSA will award bursaries for postgraduate studies in the following fields:
Earth Observation (Hons, MSc, PhD):
- Remote sensing
- Geospatial program
- Earth system science with remote sensing
- Earth observations in ecosystems accounting
- Applications of remote sensing in environmental management, including oceans and marine, agricultural and rangelands, water resource management, mineral resource, and spatial planning.
Engineering (MEng, MTech, MSc, PhD, DTech):
- Software and software systems engineering
- Aeronautical, aerospace, mechanical, electrical, electronic, mechatronic, and computer engineering
- Space, systems, antenna, and RF engineering
Space Science (Hons, MSc, MPhil, PhD):
- Solar physics and space weather forecasting
- Antarctic radar studies of atmospheric gravity waves
- Multi-instrument studies of space weather
- Modeling geomagnetically induced currents in power systems
- Multi-scale ionospheric physics, structure, and dynamics
- Ionospheric and radio propagation modeling
- Theory of waves and solutions in plasmas
- Atmospheric radiation studies
- Verification of space weather forecasting
All SANSA divisions (Hons, MSc, PhD):
- Computer science
- Information systems
- Software and systems engineering
- Data science
- Field of your choice related to key SANSA objectives
Bursary Coverage:
- Honours: R100,000 (one year).
- Masters: R120,000 per year for two years.
- PhD: R140,000 per year for three years.
Applicants should not hold a combination of bursaries exceeding these amounts. SANSA may provide a top-up amount to students with other bursaries of lesser value, provided they meet the criteria and have proven financial need. Continued support in subsequent years depends on satisfactory progress.
SANSA Bursary Requirements And Eligibility:
- South African citizen
- Good academic record
- Preference for students pursuing postgraduate studies in space-related fields
- Must meet the minimum entry criteria for acceptance into a recognized and accredited university in South Africa
- Demonstrated financial need
- Interest in working within the space sector
- Driven and forward-thinking
How To Apply And Application Details:
Applicants must register and apply online via the SANSA Bursary Application 2025-2026 portal.
Supporting documentation required with the completed application form (compulsory – missing items will result in the application being disregarded):
- ID document (certified copy)
- June results or progress report of all subjects (if no exams were written)
- Completed SANSA testimonial by an education official (.pdf)
- Research proposal (if applying for MSc or PhD funding) – Does not need to be approved by a university yet (MSc students: maximum of 5 pages, PhD students: maximum of 10 pages)
All supporting documents must be uploaded in PDF format only, with a maximum file size of 80 MB.
Closing Date Of The SANSA Bursary:
The application deadline for the SANSA Bursary is September 30.
Contact Details Of The Bursar:
For any inquiries related to this bursary program, please contact SANSA directly:
- Email: grants@sansa.or.za
- Email: students@sansa.org.za
