Postgraduate bursaries in South Africa for 2027 come from three main sources: the National Research Foundation (NRF), universities and government science bodies, and private foundations. Honours, master’s and doctoral students can apply to all of them, but each funder has its own closing date, and several 2027 calls have already closed. The honours call of the NRF is still the main one open at the time of writing, and university need-based bursaries such as the UCT postgraduate financial aid call close in November.
This guide explains the main postgraduate funding options for 2027, what each one requires, how to apply, and how to plan so that no deadline is missed.
Postgraduate Funding at a Glance
The table lists the main funders, the levels they support and the status of their 2027 calls. Dates change, and every closing date must be confirmed on the funder’s official page.
| Funder | Levels | 2027 status |
|---|---|---|
| DSTI-NRF postgraduate scholarships | Honours, master’s, doctoral | Honours call closes on 23 November 2026 at the NRF, with earlier internal deadlines at universities. First-time master’s and doctoral calls closed earlier in 2026. |
| UCT postgraduate financial aid bursary | Honours, master’s, doctoral (UCT students) | Closing date 10 November 2026; need-based only |
| SANSA postgraduate bursaries | Honours, master’s, doctoral in space science, engineering and related fields | Open to apply through the SANSA portal; confirm the closing date there |
| Mandela Rhodes Foundation scholarship | Honours and master’s | The 2027 round closed on 14 April 2026; the next round is announced by the foundation |
DSTI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarships
The NRF funds postgraduate study through the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation. The scholarships cover honours, master’s and doctoral students in science, engineering, technology, the social sciences and the humanities, and students apply through the NRF Connect system, usually through the research office of their university. The honours call for the 2027 academic year closes at the NRF on 23 November 2026, but universities set earlier internal closing dates so that their offices can check the applications, so the date that matters is the one the home institution publishes. The master’s and doctoral calls for 2027 closed earlier in 2026, and the next calls are announced for the following academic year.
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NRF funding is mainly for South African citizens and permanent residents, with a small number of awards for other applicants under specific schemes. The NRF reviews academic merit, and many funds apply equity considerations. An applicant who has NRF funding cannot normally hold another major postgraduate award for the same costs at the same time, so read the conditions before accepting two offers.
University Postgraduate Bursaries
Most public universities have their own postgraduate funding office. These offices run bursaries for their own students, and some open them before the national calls. The University of Cape Town is a clear example. Its postgraduate financial aid call for 2027 closes on 10 November 2026 and covers honours, master’s and doctoral students. For 2027, only need-based applications are considered. Applicants fall into three groups:
- Financial aid applicants, with a gross annual family income under R350,000.
- GAP tuition bursary applicants, with a family income between R350,001 and R600,000.
- Applicants above those limits, who are not eligible for need-based support and should not apply.
UCT also states that NRF funding cannot be held at the same time as its bursary, while still encouraging eligible students to apply to the NRF. Other universities publish similar rules on their postgraduate funding pages, so students at any institution should ask the postgraduate office what is available and by when.
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SANSA Postgraduate Bursaries
The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) offers bursaries to postgraduate students in space science and related disciplines. The fields listed include remote sensing, geographic information systems, geoinformatics, environmental science, geography, ecology, computer science, information technology, electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, applied mathematics, physics and space science. The published amounts per year are R150,000 for honours, R160,000 for master’s and R170,000 for doctoral study.
The bursary does not consider applicants whose academic average in the last year of study or the last examination is below 65%. Applicants apply through the SANSA online portal, and master’s and doctoral applicants add a supervisor’s testimonial and a draft research proposal signed by the student and the supervisor. The documents must be readable PDF files without a password. The closing date is on the SANSA bursary page.
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Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarship
The Mandela Rhodes scholarship is a fully funded award for African students who study honours or master’s degrees at a South African university, combined with a leadership development programme. It covers tuition, accommodation, meals, study materials and allowances. The published age range is 19 to 29, and the foundation selects candidates on academic strength and leadership. The 2027 intake closed in April 2026. Publications give different dates for the next round, so the foundation’s official website is the only reliable source once the call opens, and interested students should start preparing a strong application well before then.
Other Places to Look for Postgraduate Funding
- Professional and industry bodies: Some accounting, engineering, health and legal bodies fund postgraduate study in their fields.
- Companies and state entities: Several large employers fund postgraduate study in return for work, and they advertise on their careers pages.
- Research chairs and supervisors: Professors who hold research grants often have bursaries for master’s and PhD students on their projects. A direct email to a prospective supervisor is a common route.
- Provincial departments: Health and education departments run bursaries for specific professions.
NSFAS is designed mainly for undergraduate and certain diploma and teaching qualifications, so postgraduate students should not plan around it.
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What Most Applications Ask For
| Document or item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Certified ID copy | South African ID or permit, depending on the funder |
| Academic record | Full transcript of all previous studies |
| Proof of admission or application | Many funders require an offer or at least an application to the university |
| Research proposal | Required for most master’s and doctoral applications |
| Supervisor or referee letter | Recommendation from a lecturer or the proposed supervisor |
| Proof of household income | Needed for need-based bursaries |
| Curriculum vitae | Include publications, awards and relevant experience |
Merit-Based and Need-Based Funding
Postgraduate funding falls into two groups, and a student can apply for both. Merit-based awards, such as the NRF scholarships and most research-chair bursaries, choose candidates on academic results, research potential and, in some cases, equity targets. Need-based awards, such as the UCT financial aid bursary, look at household income and decide whether the student can pay the fees. A student with strong marks and a modest family income should apply to both types, because the two groups use different selection panels and different deadlines.
How to Strengthen a Funding Application
Selection panels read hundreds of applications, so clear and complete files stand out. A strong application usually has these features:
- A research proposal that states the problem, the question, the method and the expected contribution in plain language, within the page limit.
- A supervisor who knows the student’s work and writes a specific letter about the student’s strengths, not a general one.
- A transcript that is complete, including all years of study and the final results of the qualification that gives access to the programme.
- A curriculum vitae that lists publications, conference presentations, awards, tutoring or research assistant work and relevant volunteering.
- A personal statement that explains why the chosen field and institution fit the student’s goals.
Proofread every page, use the names exactly as they appear on the ID, and follow the file format and size rules of the portal. A technical error on the last day is a common reason for a lost opportunity.
International and Permanent Resident Students
Some funders restrict awards to South African citizens, others extend them to permanent residents, and a few, such as the Mandela Rhodes scholarship, are open to students from other African countries who study at a South African university. Students who are not South African citizens should check the eligibility section of every call before preparing documents, and they should also ask the university’s international office about fee waivers, study permit requirements and country-specific funding.
How to Plan Your Applications
- Apply for admission to the postgraduate programme first, because most funders ask for proof of an application or offer.
- Ask the university’s postgraduate office for its internal funding deadlines, which come earlier than the funder’s own date.
- List every funder, closing date and required document in one place and set reminders a week before each date.
- Ask the supervisor and referees early, since good letters take time.
- Submit before the final day, because systems become slow at deadline time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a student hold two postgraduate bursaries at the same time?
Sometimes. Many funders do not allow it for the same costs, and the NRF and UCT, for example, do not allow overlap. Read each offer’s conditions before accepting.
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Is there postgraduate funding for part-time students?
Most bursaries target full-time study. Some employer funds and university schemes support part-time study, so ask the postgraduate office.
Do postgraduate bursaries require good marks?
Yes. Most use academic merit, and some set a minimum average, such as the 65% SANSA requirement. Need-based bursaries also look at household income.
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Final Thoughts
Postgraduate funding for 2027 depends on timing. The NRF honours call and university need-based calls close in November, several master’s and doctoral calls have already closed, and the Mandela Rhodes scholarship opens again later. Students should apply for admission early, ask the university office for its internal dates, prepare the proposal and referee letters, and confirm every closing date on the official page of each funder.