DSTI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarships

DSTI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarships Academic Year

Funds South African postgraduate students through DSTI-NRF scholarships in honours, master, and doctoral innovation.

The DSTI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarships for the 2027 academic year are co-funded by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and administered by the National Research Foundation (NRF) through its Research and Innovation Support and Advancement (RISA) division. The programme supports individual students at Honours, Master's, and Doctoral levels across all disciplines of Science, Engineering, Technology, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Scholarships are awarded at two funding levels: Full Cost of Study (FCS), available to South African citizens and permanent residents who are financially needy (combined household income at or below R350,000 per year), living with a disability, or exceptional academic achievers; and Partial Cost of Study (PCS), available to all other qualifying South African applicants and to up to 5% of international students. The minimum prior degree average required for all levels is 65%.

Application windows vary by level: first-time Master's and Doctoral applicants closed 3 July 2026; Honours General applications are open from 7 July 2026 to 23 November 2026; Master's and Doctoral Extension Support closed 14 August 2026. All applications are submitted exclusively through the NRF Connect System at nrfconnect.nrf.ac.za — no manual applications are accepted. Continuing students who are eligible for a second or third year of funding must submit a Progress Report rather than a new application. NRF-SARAO (South African Radio Astronomy Observatory) Honours applicants face a separate deadline of 14 August 2026 and use different contacts.

Institutions act as Designated Authorities (DAs) and have their own submission deadlines for forwarding approved applications to NRF, ranging from 4 September 2026 for Master's and Doctoral applications to 29 January 2027 for Honours claims. Applicants requiring ISFAP financial assessment should submit their Honours application by 24 August 2026. Scholarship amounts are detailed in the Application and Funding Guide for DSTI-NRF Masters and Doctoral Scholarships 2027 (available on nrf.ac.za). Queries to postgraduatequeries@risa.nrf.ac.za; technical support at 012 481 4202.