National Research Foundation (NRF), with the Department of Science, Technology and InnovationPartially funded
DSTI-NRF Master's and Doctoral Scholarships (2027)
National Research Foundation (NRF), with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, South Africa
Scholarship overview
The DSTI-NRF Master's and Doctoral Scholarships are postgraduate scholarships funded by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and administered by the National Research Foundation (NRF). The 2027 call supports full-time master's and doctoral candidates at South African public universities in all areas of Science, Engineering, Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities, including Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
Funding is awarded at one of two levels. Full Cost of Study (FCS) is for South African citizens and permanent residents who are financially needy (combined household income of R350 000 per year or less), living with a disability, or exceptional academic achievers. Partial Cost of Study (PCS) goes to applicants who could not be funded at FCS but meet the other minimum requirements, and 5% of funding is reserved for international students. The NRF's funding model is guided by equity and redress, academic merit and financial need.
Applications are made on the NRF Connect system and are screened, reviewed and scored by the applicant's chosen university; only eligible applications recommended by the institutional panel go on to the NRF. Continuing students eligible for a second or third year submit a progress report, not a new application. Special programmes within the call include NRF-SARAO (radio astronomy), NRF-DAAD, NRF-SASOL, and scholarships linked to NRF-funded research grants and chairs.
Award Information
- Minimum 65% average in the previous degree. Exceptional-achiever FCS needs 75%.
- Master's: 65% average for the honours degree (or equivalent postgraduate diploma, or NQF level 7 postgraduate certificate), or for the final-year major subjects of a four-year degree.
- Doctoral: 65% average for the master's degree.
- South African citizens and permanent residents who graduated from 2021 onwards with a classification of only "Pass" cannot apply; a numerical mark is needed (exceptions apply for earlier graduates and for international qualifications).
- FCS: South African citizens and permanent residents only, who are financially needy (proof by financial means test or NSFAS/ISFAP funding), living with a disability, or exceptional achievers (75% average).
- PCS: South African citizens and permanent residents who do not qualify for FCS, plus a 5% allocation to international students, including SADC and other countries. Persons with valid refugee or asylum permits are eligible only under the NRF-SAQA programme at master's PCS.
- Full-time study at a South African public university in the master's or doctoral degree applied for. Full-time employed applicants must be willing to resign if awarded.
- Age limits apply to 80% of funding: master's 30 or younger and doctoral 32 or younger by 31 December 2026; the remaining 20% has no age restriction.
- Not eligible: pre-proposal year students, undergraduate students, those registered for two or more degrees at once, and postgraduate diplomas or certificates (for example PGCE) without a core research component.
- Only one application may be submitted, and a change of scholarship category is not allowed after submission.
- Priority goes to Black, female and disabled applicants who meet the merit criteria, and to financially needy applicants previously funded by NSFAS, NRF or ISFAP.
- NRF-SASOL: South African citizens only, in chemistry and related green economy fields, at Fort Hare, Limpopo, Venda, Free State (Qwaqwa), North-West (Mafikeng) or Mpumalanga.
Annual scholarship value (ZAR):
- Master's: R190 000 per year at FCS; R145 000 per year at PCS.
- Doctoral: R200 000 per year at FCS; R150 000 per year at PCS.
- Once-off electronic study device allowance of R10 000 (FCS only), for the duration of postgraduate study.
- Students with a disability may apply for an assistive technology device of up to R20 000 over the scholarship (FCS only); human support such as scribes, carers, note-takers and interpreters is not paid.
Maximum period of support:
- Master's: two years.
- Doctoral: three years.
- Master's upgraded to doctoral: four years.
- Extension support (exceptional circumstances only): six or twelve months.
- The period is counted from the first date of registration for the degree, whether or not previously NRF-funded, and excludes the pre-proposal year.
- Scholarship amounts are reviewed every three years, with CPI-linked sector-wide increases.
2027 academic year call, applicant closing dates on NRF Connect:
- First-time Master's: opens 16 April 2026; closes 3 July 2026.
- First-time Doctoral: closes 3 July 2026.
- SARAO Master's and Doctoral: open 1 April 2026; close 30 June 2026.
- Master's and Doctoral extension support: closes 14 August 2026.
University Designated Authority submission to the NRF:
- First-time Master's and Doctoral: 4 September 2026.
- SARAO Master's and Doctoral: 15 July 2026.
- Extension support: 30 September 2026.
Institutions may set earlier internal cut-offs, so applicants should confirm the date with the university research or postgraduate office. The system does not accept submissions after closing. The financial means test is conducted annually by 1 September.
- Check the call documents (Application and Funding Guide and the Funding Framework) and confirm the closing date with your university's research or postgraduate office.
- Register or log in on NRF Connect using an ORCID iD (create one if you do not have one).
- Complete My Profile and the CV sections, and upload a certified copy of your ID or passport; uncertified ID leads to rejection.
- Create the postgraduate scholarship application, choose the level and the scholarship category (General, SARAO, NRF-SASOL, NRF-DAAD or linked to NRF-funded research), and select the institution.
- Give the funding period, project title and abstract, the degree to be funded, academic average, details of research, and science engagement and national infrastructure sections.
- Complete the Financial Need section: upload the signed ISFAP consent form (certified by a Commissioner of Oaths and co-signed by household contributors) or proof of NSFAS/ISFAP funding.
- Upload attachments and nominate referees; a referee report is required, and emails are sent to referees on submission.
- Submit before the closing date. The university Designated Authority screens, reviews and scores the application, and may contact you for corrections, so reply promptly.
- Universities and the NRF give feedback to applicants. Queries: [email protected], with level, funding opportunity and application reference (PMDS25 prefix) in the subject line.
No manual applications are accepted.
Official links
Documents you will need
- Certified copy of ID (South African citizens and permanent residents) or passport (foreign applicants).
- Latest academic record, or a university letter confirming first registration and outstanding fees if the record cannot be issued.
- Signed supervisor letter on institutional letterhead (if the supervisor does not respond through the system), confirming supervision, support for the application, infrastructure and ethical clearance requirements. For master's applicants without a supervisor, a signed Head of Department letter guaranteeing allocation of a supervisor in time for study to begin by April.
- Proof of qualification completion, where applicable.
- Medical certificate (doctor's letter) for applicants with a disability.
- ISFAP consent form certified by a Commissioner of Oaths, or proof of NSFAS/ISFAP funding such as a university-stamped financial statement or a funder or university letter (not an unsigned NSFAS agreement).
- NRF-DAAD applicants: a motivation for a three to six month research visit to Germany.
- Referee reports submitted through NRF Connect.
How selection works
Applications are scored by the university using standardised NRF scorecards. Master's scorecard: academic merit 35%, completion time for the previous degree 15%, priority research area 20%, project outline 30%. Doctoral scorecard: academic merit 30%, completion time 15%, track record or research outputs 15%, priority research area 10%, originality of the study 20%, potential impact 10%.
The NRF then makes funding decisions with equity targets: 95% of funding to South African citizens and permanent residents, 5% to students from SADC and the rest of the world, and 55% to women. Among South Africans, targets are 90% Black and 10% White, and 1% to students with disabilities. Consideration is also given to scarce and priority skills. The NRF may award PCS to applicants eligible for FCS because of budget limits. Appeals concern the review process only and go through the university; funding level or budget decisions cannot be appealed.
