About the University of Free State (UFS):
The University of the Free State (UFS) has a storied history dating back to 1904 when it was founded as Grey College with only six students. Today, it stands as a progressive, multi-campus university located in Bloemfontein, South Africa. UFS is committed to being student-centered and research-led, with a vision aimed at contributing to development and social justice.
The university has a clear mission to make a positive social impact and strives to achieve various goals, including enhancing students’ well-being and success, transforming the curriculum, supporting social justice and development through scholarship programs, advancing knowledge at multiple levels, and ensuring financial stability.
About the UFS HEHD Doctoral Scholarship Program:
The University of the Free State is calling for applications from passionate and talented students for its doctoral scholarship program. This scholarship is open to both international and South African students who aspire to pursue an academic qualification in higher education studies or higher education and development.
The ideal candidates for this doctoral scholarship are those who have conducted research in education and development, higher education studies, or related fields like sociology, philosophy, and politics during their Honors or Master’s degree programs, with a focus on education and development.
Scholarship Coverage:
The scholarship program will cover various areas of research for the year, including but not limited to:
- University and communication collaborations
- Inclusion/exclusion in African Higher Education
- Educational Technology in Higher Education
- Participatory methods in Higher Education Research
- Refugees in Higher Education
- International Student Mobility
- Private higher education in Africa – comparative perspectives
The scholarship will be awarded for a duration of 3 years, and only two students will be selected based on their performance for title registration in the doctoral study.
Scholarship Value:
- The scholarship is valued at R180,000 per year.
- An additional amount of R30,000 will be provided for research-related expenses.
- The scholarship will be awarded to students who maintain satisfactory academic performance.
- Registration fees will be deducted annually.
Scholarship Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible for the HEHD Doctoral Scholarship, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Must be South African students or foreign nationals.
- Intend to study full-time at the University of the Free State in 2024-2025.
- Must have completed a Master’s degree in the relevant discipline.
- Graduation should have taken place within the last 5 years.
- Must have achieved a minimum aggregate score of 70% in their Master’s degree.
- Should not be employed full-time elsewhere and must not take any full-time employment during the scholarship period.
- Must be willing to relocate to UFS for the duration of the scholarship.
- Language Requirements: Students whose first language is not English must demonstrate sufficient English language skills to succeed in their studies.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates who meet the eligibility criteria should submit copies of the following documents via email to Dr. Faith Mkwananzi at mkwananziwf@ufs.ac.za with the email subject line “Doctoral Scholarship HEHD”:
- Certified copy of ID document (South African students) or certified passport copy (foreign nationals)
- Complete academic transcript on institution letterhead
- Motivational letter explaining why you deserve the scholarship
- SAQA verification certificate
- Certified copy of Master’s degree
- PDF copy of Master’s Thesis
- CV with research publications, grants received, and conference papers
- A 6-10 page outline of the proposed doctoral research, including the aim, research questions, methods, and preliminary literature review
- Contact details of two academic referees who have taught or supervised the candidate
Closing Date:
The application deadline for the HEHD Doctoral Scholarship is August 30.
Contact Details:
For inquiries and further information about the scholarship program, students can reach out using the following contact details:
- Email: mkwananziwf@ufs.ac.za or info@ufc.ac.za
- Telephone:
- Bloemfontein campus: 051 401 9111
- Qwaqwa campus: 058 718 5000
- South Campus: 051 401 9111
