Postgraduate Bursaries

Postgraduate Degree Programmes

SACEMA provides research facilities and a stimulating environment in which scientists can interact to transcend disciplinary and institutional boundaries. We support postgraduate degree programmes at the Honours, Masters, and PhD level. The focus of the postgraduate studies may include mathematics, epidemiology, biostatistics, global health, and biochemistry.

SACEMA Postgraduate Bursaries for 2024

SACEMA will not be accepting applications directly for any new bursary applications. Scholarships for postgraduate studies are funded by the DSI and administered by the NRF.

To streamline the process for the online NRF application, SACEMA will advertise an “Expression of Interest” call to invite candidates interested in undertaking a Masters degree programme at a South African university to apply to become part of the SACEMA team.

Shortlisted candidates will be:

• Aligned with a SACEMA-affiliated supervisor and a project that falls within one of our research themes
• Required to apply for funding on the NRF online application system using a unique NRF funding code*
• Required to apply to study at the agreed South African university for the duration of the Masters degree

At SACEMA, students are categorized as follows:

• Must be registered at Stellenbosch University; in most cases must be physically based at SACEMA
• Sponsored participation in SACEMA-run short courses
• Eligible to apply for travel support
• Regular seminar attendance expected

• Not physically based at SACEMA
• May register at any South African university for Masters or PhD; must have a SACEMA-affiliated supervisor or co-supervisor
• Students work on pre-approved projects; applicants must apply for funding on the NRF online application system using a unique NRF funding code*
• Participation in SACEMA-run short courses requires application and payment
• Student and supervisor must jointly visit SACEMA within the first year of funding

* Submission of your application does not automatically qualify you for funding
* All applications need to be submitted before the university’s internal NRF support deadline

Click here for the Stellenbosch University deadline.

All funding details, conditions, values, and qualifying criteria can be found on the NRF Scholarships call:

• https://www.nrf.ac.za/bursaries/opportunities
• https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za/NrfMkII/Default.aspx

All SACEMA-funded students must work on a research project of direct relevance to SACEMA’s mission and are required to attend the annual Research Days meeting, with the associated costs being covered by SACEMA. As part of the NRF’s funding conditions, all students are required to submit annual progress reports, signed by their supervisors.

Further enquiries may be directed to: SACEMA Training Coordinator, Faikah Bruce at faikah@sun.ac.za