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The National Research Foundation (NRF)

ScholarshipsSouth Africa

NRF’s Postgraduate (Master’s & Doctoral) Scholarships 2021 for study in South Africa

by OFA
written by OFA

Application Deadline: Varying by Institutions

The National Research Foundation (NRF) has developed a new Postgraduate Student Funding Policy that will use postgraduate student funding as a lever to address the challenges of inequity of access, success and throughput. The purpose is to retain high academic achievers in the system to pursue postgraduate studies up to the doctoral level, as part of a national drive to grow the next generation of researchers and academics to sustain South Africa’s knowledge enterprise.

Eligibility

Postgraduate student funding will be made for full-time honours, masters, and doctoral degrees only. It must be noted that the NRF will not fund the following:
a. Undergraduate qualifications, regardless of National Qualifications Framework (NQF) exit level;
b. Postgraduate certificates or diplomas, regardless of NQF exit level and
c. Professional masters and doctoral degrees, regardless of NQF exit level.

Academic Requirements

A student must obtain:

  • A minimum average of 65% for major subjects in the final undergraduate year of study for honours funding;
  • A minimum average of 65% at the honours level or final year of a four year degree for masters funding; and
  • A minimum of 65% at the masters level for doctoral funding.

Requirements

  • The NRF will identify students that have previously been assessed as financially needy by National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) or the Ikusasa Students Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP).
  • In addition, students who have not undergone a financial need assessment will be subjected to a Household Financial Means Assessment by the NRF in partnership with ISFAP.
  • Only students that complete the consent form and provide the requested information will be subjected to a Household Financial Means Assessment by the NRF.
  • The NRF offers funding support to students studying/intending to study on a full-time basis and who will not be in a full-time salaried, contractual or permanent employment that exceeds 12 hours per week while pursuing postgraduate studies. The financial means test will be based on the combined nett family income which is defined as a measure of the combined income of parents/spouses and/or legal guardians who earn income both from the formal and informal sector (e.g., salaries and wages, grants, pension and other sources of income including business and/or rental income).
  • This will apply to all applicants for NRF funding irrespective of the age of the student

Benefits

  • Full Cost of Study will cover tuition, accommodation, living allowance, meal allowance and a onceoff allowance for study resource material such as an electronic device

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the NRF’s Postgraduate Scholarships 2021

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Internships

National Research Foundation (NRF) Graduate Internship Programme 2021/2022 for young South African Graduates (R72 840 per annum)

by OFA
written by OFA

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is a principal research funding agency of government. The mandate of the Foundation as set out in the NRF Act (Act 23 of 1998 as amended) is to:

(i) support, promote and advance research and human capacity development through funding and the provision of the necessary research infrastructure, in order to facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of science and technology, including humanities, social sciences and indigenous knowledge;
(ii) develop, support and maintain national facilities; support and promote public awareness of, and engagement with, science; and
(iv) promote the development and maintenance of the national science system and support government priorities.

The NRF transformation agenda underpins how the organisation implements its granting function by prioritising transformation of: the equity profile of postgraduate students and researchers; the knowledge enterprise; the relationship between science and society; and the organisation itself.

The Graduate Internship Programme is a two-year work experience programme for bachelor’s graduates who will be pursuing honours studies simultaneously during the internship period. In order to be accepted into the programme, prospective interns should also have been accepted into an honours programme.

Mentors will interview and shortlist potential interns from this pool of students that have been accepted onto an honours programme.

Host institutions will sign a two-year contract of appointment with the approved interns.

In addition, interns’ honours tuition fees will be funded by the NRF up to a maximum of R50 000 over the two-year internship and paid directly to the institution at which they are registered.

Requirements

  • The Graduate Internship Programme primarily targets students intending to register for an honours degree part-time.
  • The NRF has published a separate call for full-time postgraduate (honours, masters and doctoral) funding for the 2021 academic year.
  • In general, graduate interns will be expected to report for duty during work hours and attend lectures outside of office hours and on weekends. How graduate interns split their time between undertaking work experience at the host institution and their honours studies must be negotiated directly with their mentors and captured in the work plan.
  • The Graduate Internship Programme does not make it mandatory for interns to be registered for honours studies at the same institution hosting them as interns. However, logistically it will be impractical for an intern to be registered to study at a university that is located at a considerable distance from the host institution, especially if contact sessions are required for the honours degree.

Objectives
The objectives of the programme are to:
 Provide bachelors graduates with work experience, while pursuing part-time honours studies, within the broader Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) disciplines, as well as the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS);
 Establish a pool of skilled honours graduates for the private and public sector, including universities and research institutions;
 Effect transformation in the proportional representation of honours graduates from designated groups viz. black, female, financially needy and persons with disabilities; and
 Support postgraduate training to meet the specific needs of the country in partnership with the higher education system and industry.

Eligibility Criteria for Applicants for the Graduate Internship Programme

To be eligible to apply for the Graduate Internship Programme, individuals must:
 Be South African citizens in possession of a valid South African Identity Document (ID);
 Have completed a bachelor’s degree in any SET, HSS or related disciplines prior to commencement of the internship;
 Have obtained a minimum of 65% for major subjects in the final undergraduate year of study;
 Intending to pursue honours studies over the two-year internship;
 Students intending to pursue full-time honours programmes will only be eligible if all lectures and practical sessions are held in the late afternoon and/or on weekends. Applicants must provide a timetable and letter of support from Faculty Deans confirming that the structure of the honours programme is conducive to being undertaken simultaneously with the internship programme.
 Have been funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) or the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP) for their bachelor’s degree; and
 Be 27 years of age or younger on 31 December of the year of application for the Graduate Internship.

The following candidates are not eligible to apply:
 Candidates who have not previously been funded by the NSFAS or ISFAP for their bachelor’s degree;
 Candidates who intend to register for a postgraduate diploma qualification;
 Candidates who hold a National Diploma; a bachelor honours, BTech or master’s degree; as well as those who are studying
towards a master’s degree;
 Previous beneficiaries of the DST-NRF Internship Programme; and
 Students registered for the second year of their honours studies in 2021.

Areas of Support for Honours Studies
The Graduate Internship Programme supports interns to receive training and work experience in all areas of Science, Engineering, Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities.

Benefits:

 Interns will receive a tax free stipend of R72 840 per annum for two (2) years.
 Interns will also receive funding for honours tuition fees, up to a maximum of R50 000 over the two-year internship. Tuition fees will
be paid directly to the institution at which the student is registered for honours studies. In this context, tuition fee is the agreed
institutional fee for the actual programme of study. The registration fee is to be included in the tuition fee. Qualifying NRF-funded
students are not required to pay the registration fee upfront.

Application Process

All applicants must first identify the university where they will be registered for their honours degree before submitting an application to the NRF. All applications for the Graduate Internship Programme must be submitted on the NRF Online Submission System by accessing the
link: https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za. To complete the online application template, follow the steps below:
 Register / Login using your ID number and password on the NRF Online Submission System;
 Click on “My Applications” and select “Create Application”.
 Select the Call for which you are applying viz. Internship Programme – Applicants 2021.
 Specify the university at which you intend to register for part-time honours studies.
 Ensure that you attach all the required documents.
 To continue working on the same application which has been saved on the system, please go to “My Applications”, “List of Applications”.
 Ensure that all sections of the application have been completed before selecting “Final Submit” for your application to be submitted to the university Designated Authority (DA).

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the NRF Graduate Internship Programme 2020/2021

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ScholarshipsSouth Africa

National Research Foundation (NRF) Honours & Final Year B-Tech Block Grant Bursaries Call 2019 for young South Africans.

by OFA
written by OFA

Application Deadline: 14 December 2018

The National Research Foundation (NRF) awards bursaries to students pursuing full-time Honours’ and final year B Tech studies at South African public universities.

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’ and final year B Tech bursaries.

Students must submit an application on the NRF Online Submission 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.

Attachments
Applicants’ must attach the following documents in the attachment section of the online application:

  •  Certified South African Identity Document. (Should be uploaded under Registration details)
  • Certified academic record or, in case of applicants with outstanding fees due to the university, attach an official letter that is stamped and signed, stating that the transcript is not issued due to outstanding fees owed to the university.
  • Proof of NSFAS or University Financial Aid funding for applicants that have indicated that they were previously funded by NSFAS or received University Financial Aid funding.
  • Applicants with disabilities must upload a medical certificate, in support of the disability.

Please Note the following:

  • The call will be accessible on the NRF Online Submission system at: https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za from 5 September 2018.
  • The NRF deadline for submission of applications is 14 December 2018.
  • Institutions will nominate students for a bursary award on the NRF Online Submission System, based on the Block Grant allocation to each institution and set equity targets. This nomination process will take place from 23 January 2019 to 28 February 2019.
  • NRF will review the nominations and communicate the outcomes to the institutions. If the nomination is approved by the NRF, the institution will have to upload and submit the duly signed and initialed agreement form and all the relevant documentation no later than 22 March 2019.
  • Unspent or unclaimed institutional funds under this allocation will automatically be cancelled by 28 June 2019.
  • Institutions must report on student completion by 31 March 2020 on the NRF student completion database.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the National Research Foundation (NRF) Honours & Final Year B-Tech Block Grant Bursaries Call 2019

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InternshipsSouth Africa

DST-NRF Internship Programme 2018/19 for Unemployed South African Graduates (R8 050.00 per month in renumeration)

by OFA
written by OFA

Application Deadline: 14 November 2017.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is responsible for the management of the DST-NRF Internship Programme in which unemployed Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) graduates and postgraduates (including those in Social Sciences and Humanities) are offered an opportunity to acquire practical work experience through mentoring and exposure to a research environment.

This opportunity is also offered to those unemployed graduates and postgraduates who are interested in research management; research support and administration at public higher education institutions and research agencies through a partnership with the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA). Applications are invited from candidates who are interested in acquiring work experience in the areas of specialisation or disciplines in the provinces stated.

REMUNERATION

  • Interns will receive a monthly salary ranging between R6 070.00 and R8 050.00 per month – depending on the level of qualification.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Unemployed South African graduates and postgraduates in the Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET), Research and Development, Social Sciences and Humanities fields are eligible to apply.
  • South African Permanent Residents who hold a South African Identity Document also qualify while non-South African citizens are not eligible.
  • Applicants should not be older than 35 years at the time of submission of an application.
  • Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Only graduates who hold an Advanced Diploma or Bachelor’s degree at NQF level 7, Honours or BTech degrees at NQF level 8 and MTech or Master’s degrees at NQF level 9 qualify to apply for an internship.
  • Candidates holding a National Diploma at NQF level 6 as well as DTech and PhD at NQF level 10 are not eligible to apply.

NB: Candidates who would be registered full-time during the 2018 academic year, are also not eligible to apply.

SHORTLISTING AND INTERVIEWS

  • Shortlisting and Interviewing of applicants will be conducted by the participating host institutions.
  • Applicants will be shortlisted and called for interviews via their personal email as indicated in the application.
  • Applicants are advised to check their emails intermittently from 18 December 2017 to 31 March 2018.

PLACEMENT IS AT VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS

Successful applicants will be placed at various participating institutions throughout the country and should thus apply for a position available in the province where they would like to be placed. The NRF does not pay relocation costs to an appointed candidate (s) who has to relocate to another province.

DURATION:

  • The internship programme is offered for a period of 12 months. Successful applicants will be required to sign an internship contract for the duration of the internship period.

HOW TO APPLY?

All applications must be submitted electronically on the NRF Online Submission System at https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za.

Register/Login using your ID number and password.

Go to “My Applications” – “Create Application” and select the call for which you are applying: Internship Programme – Applicants 2018.

Complete all the compulsory sections as per instructions and attach certified copies of qualifications, academic records and a copy of your South African Identity Document.

Please refer to the attached advertisement for the relevant Areas of Specialisation / Displines.

ENQUIRIES

For technical online enquiries, please contact the Support Desk (Mondays to Fridays from 08h00 to 16h30) on: Tel: (012) 481-4202 or E-mail: [email protected]

For programme-related queries contact Sello Raseruthe: (012) 481-4388 or [email protected] and Monwabisi Mfihlo: (012) 481-4023 or [email protected]

CLOSING DATE: 14 November 2017.  No late or incomplete applications will be considered.

Applications will be submitted directly to the NRF. There is no DA process for this call.

Applicants should therefor contact the above persons if changes need to be made after submission and before the closing date – 14 November 2017.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the DST-NRF Internship Programme 2018/19

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PHDScholarships

NRF-TWAS/African Renaissance Doctoral Fellowship 2017 for Doctoral Scholars in Africa.

by OFA
written by OFA

Application Deadline: 29 June 2016

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), in partnership with The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), are pleased to announce the call for fellowship applications for 2017 in the following two categories:

  • NRF-TWAS Doctoral  Scholarship funding instrument: 20 scholars from developing countries outside Africa; and
  • NRF-TWAS African Renaissance Doctoral Scholarships funding instrument: 50 scholars
    rom Africa.
Objectives
The objectives of the doctoral scholarship funding instruments are to:
  • Increase the number and quality of doctoral scholars in Africa and in other developing countries;
  • Foster scientific and technological cooperation by facilitating brain circulation between countries;
  • Attract young scientists and professionals of the highest calibre from developing countries to access world class strategic and applied research opportunities in order to advance their professional competitiveness ; and
  • Support human capacity needs and thus position the developing countries for global competitiveness in scientific and technological fields
Eligibility
In selecting applicants for consideration for the doctoral scholarships, the following criteria will apply:
  • The NRF-TWAS Doctoral Scholarship funding Instrument is open to citizens and permanent residents from developing countries outside Africa.
  • The NRF-TWAS African Renaissance Doctoral Scholarship funding instrument is open to citizens and permanent residents from Africa except South Africa.
  • The following individuals are not eligible to apply under either funding instrument:
  • South African citizens;
  • Foreign citizens who hold permanent residency permits of South Africa;
  • Foreign citizens who are already resident in South Africa or in any developed country
    and hold temporary residence permits (this includes study permits);
  • Citizens and permanent residents of any developed country; and
  • Foreign citizens who were previously employed or studying towards a degree or undertaking research in South Africa, and have returned to their country of origin but have been in their country of origin for less than two (2) years.
  • Applicants must be thirty five (35) years of age on 31 December of the year of application for the doctoral scholarship;
  • Applicants must hold a university degree that will satisfy requirements for admission to doctoral studies at a South African public university, which is generally a Master’s
    Degree; and
  • Visa and immigration laws of the applicant’s home country and South Africa must be
    met by the applicant

Areas of Support

  • The successful candidates will undertake full-time doctoral studies in South Africa and may be based at any South African public research institution including Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Science Councils and National Research Facilities.
  • Applicants who wish to pursue research under Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) disciplines will be supported through the Scholarship

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the NRF-TWAS/African Renaissance Doctoral Fellowship 2017

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