The Free-standing and Innovation bursaries

The National Research Foundation (NRF) awards bursaries to students pursuing full-time, Honours’ and final year B Tech studies at South African public universities. The Free-standing and Innovation bursaries are funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Scarce Skills and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Pipeline bursaries are funded by Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the National Skills Fund (NSF).  

These bursaries are awarded to South African citizens and South African permanent residents only and are released as Block Grants to South African public universities that nominate students that have applied for an Honours’ bursary.

Application:

These bursaries are awarded to South African citizens and South African permanent residents only and are released as Block Grants to South African public universities that nominate students that have applied for an Honours’ bursary.

Students must submit an application on the NRF Online Application system at: https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za and follow the application process set out in the attached Framework Document and Application Guide.  South African citizens and South African permanent residents living with a disability are encouraged to apply. For more details, applicants must read the NRF Honours’ and Final year B Tech Bursaries Framework Document which highlights the eligibility criteria and requirements for each funding category.

The submission deadline for applicants is 15 January 2018 for funding in the 2018 academic year. Applicants must consult the university Research Office or Postgraduate Office for each institutions internal closing date to ensure validation by institutional DAs prior to submission to the NRF. Funding outcomes will be communicated by Institutional DAs between February and March2018.

NRF Contact Persons

For programme related enquiries, please contact:
Ms Fulufhelo Malamatsho
Professional Officer
Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development (HICD)
Telephone: 012 481 4166
Email: [email protected]

Mr Mduduzi Tshabangu
Professional Officer
Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development (HICD)
Telephone: 012 481 4148
Email: [email protected]

For Grant Management and System Administration related enquiries, please contact:
Ms Zikhona Lose
Professional Officer
Grants Management and Systems Administration (GMSA)
Telephone: 012 481 4365
E-mail: [email protected]

Ms Thandeka Mthethwa
Liaison Officer
Grants Management and Systems Administration (GMSA)
Telephone: 012 481 4121
E-mail: [email protected]