Call for the NRF South African Radio Astronomy Observatory Application (SARAO) Freestanding Honours Scholarships for 2026
The NRF SARAO Team has announced a call for applications for the 2026 academic year for students who wish to study towards a BSc Honours degree in:
- Advanced Physics;
- Astronomy/Astrophysics; or
- Computer Science with Mathematics/Applied Mathematics
Applicant Closing Date: 31 August 2025
See the CGS website for more information on the application process and submitting the necessary documentation.
In the event of any queries, contact Mr MacHeu at macheutd@ufs.ac.za or +27 51 401 2174.
Application Guide for SARAO BSc and BEng Undergraduate Scholarships
Application Guide for SARAO Honours Scholarships
DSTI NRF Postgraduate Scholarship Framework for 2026 Funding
DSI-NRF Prospective Honours Student Funding for the 2025 Academic Year
The DSI and NRF are pleased to announce a call for new applications for DSI-NRF Prospective Honours Student Funding for the academic year 2025.
The NRF minimum academic requirement for postgraduate funding is 65%. The entry age requirement is 28, 30 and 32 years or younger for honours, master’s and doctoral studies respectively, in the year of application, regardless of the first year of registration. Successful applicants will be funded either at Full Cost of Study (FCS) or Partial Cost of Study (PCS). The FCS funding will be awarded to South African citizens and Permanent Residents only, who are either financially needy (i.e., those whose combined household family income is less than or equals to R350 000 per annum), living with a disability or exceptional academic achievers. However, the PCS funding will be awarded to 5% of international students including South African citizens and Permanent Residents who could not be funded under FCS but meet other minimum requirements for the NRF scholarship funding criteria. The scholarships are intended to support honours, master’s and doctoral candidates to pursue studies in all areas of Science, Engineering, Technology, Social Sciences, and Humanities.
All the postgraduate students will be expected to apply on the NRF Connect System by accessing the link: https://nrfconnect.nrf.ac.za/. No manual applications will be accepted.
Students applications: Opening and closing dates:
| Level of study | Opening dates | Closing dates |
| Honours (General) | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
NB: Honours applicants requiring ISFAP assessment should submit their applications by 02 September 2024.
| Level of study | Applicant Closing dates | |
| SARAO: Honours | To be confirmed | |
Please refer to the Application and Funding Guide and Framework documents when completing the online application form at every step of the process.
For enquiries, applicants are encouraged to contact the Research or Postgraduate offices at their universities. Should there still be a need to contact the NRF, below are the contact persons and details:
In the event of any queries, contact Mr MacHeu at macheutd@ufs.ac.za or +27 51 401 2174.
DSI-NRF Honours Application and Funding Guide for 2025
Announcement of Calls DSI-NRF Postgraduate Student Funding for the 2025 Academic Year
DSI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarship Framework for 2025 Funding
Frequently Asked Questions
ISFAP - Application Consent Form
NRF Statement of expectation for Postgraduate Training
SARAO Honours Scholarships Application Guide for the 2025 Academic Year