Ernst & Ethel Eriksen Trust Study Grants (Master's and Doctorate)

• Study grant of up to R25 000 for the year applied for.
• Paid directly to the student's university, not to the student, and not used to settle existing university debt.
• Awarded one academic year at a time; recipients must reapply each year.

• 2026 round (for the 2027 academic year): opened 1 August 2026 and closed 30 September 2026; applications for the 2027 academic year are now closed.
• Applications for the 2028 academic year open 1 August 2027.
• Applicants are told the outcome of their application towards the end of December.

1. Work through the checklist and prepare every document before starting, since incomplete applications are not considered.
2. Register for an account on the Trust's site when the application window is open (Apply Online; home page eriksentrust.co.za).
3. Complete the online application, including your anticipated income and estimated expenditure.
4. Enter three essays online (maximum 1000 characters each): about yourself and your family circumstances, about your field of study, motivation and future plans and your leadership/community involvement, and about the South Africa you want to see in the next ten years.
5. Arrange two academic references on the Eriksen Trust Reference form; you are responsible for obtaining and attaching them, as the Trust does not contact referees directly.
6. Submit before the closing date. Applications are checked for completeness, then go to the Board of Trustees, whose decision is final; you hear the outcome towards the end of December.

• Certified copy of your identity document.
• Certified copy of your results from your most recent year at university.
• A letter confirming acceptance for your field of study, or, if not yet confirmed, proof that you applied to the university.
• Two academic references, completed on the Eriksen Trust Reference form.
• Three short essays, entered online as part of the application.

Submitted applications are first checked to confirm all required information and documents were provided; incomplete applications are not considered. Complete applications go to the Trust's Board of Trustees, whose decision is final.