Bongani Mayosi National Health Scholarships – 2027
Applications for the 2027 Bongani Mayosi National Health Scholars Programme (BM-NHSP) have not yet opened for all South African scholars.Â
The Department of Research, Administration, and Development at the University of Limpopo encourages all eligible applicants to prepare for the Bongani Mayosi National Health Scholars Programme (BM-NHSP).
BM-NHSP is an initiative coordinated by the National Health Research Committee (NHRC) and is a partnership between the National Department of Health (NDoH), the Public Health Enhancement Fund (PHEF), and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), which serves as the programme’s primary administrator. The objective of the BM-NHSP is to fund the training of 1,000 PhDs in health and clinical research across South Africa. Applications are invited for PhD scholarships at South African universities. Funding is intended to cover the completion of the degree, typically providing a monthly stipend and a contribution toward tuition fees for the standard duration of a full-time PhD (generally three years), subject to satisfactory academic progress and the terms set out in the official RFA.
Important: The specific priority research areas, eligible fields of study, opening and closing dates, and the exact scholarship value for the 2027 cycle have not yet been officially announced. Based on historical cycles, the application window has typically opened around July of the preceding year, but this timing is not guaranteed for 2027. Applicants must monitor the official SAMRC BM-NHSP page for the confirmed 2027 details before proceeding.
BONGANI MAYOSI NATIONAL HEALTH SCHOLARS PROGRAMME ELIGIBILITY (Historical Criteria)
The following criteria reflect the requirements applied in previous BM-NHSP cycles and provide a reliable baseline for what applicants should prepare for. These are not yet officially confirmed for the 2027 cycle and must be verified against the 2027 RFA once published:
- Must be a South African citizen or permanent resident
- Must hold a relevant Master’s degree, typically with a strong research component, from a recognized South African institution
- Must be registered, or intending to register, as a full-time PhD student at a South African university
- Must have an officially approved PhD research proposal
- Must provide written commitment of participation by an experienced research supervisor who is willing to train the student for the entire duration of the degree
- The research supervisor must have research funding for the project and appropriate facilities for the scholar to effectively conduct the PhD research project
BONGANI MAYOSI NATIONAL HEALTH SCHOLARS PROGRAMME APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
The application process is conducted exclusively through the SAMRC’s online system, and all required documentation must be submitted electronically once the portal is active for the 2027 cycle. The official landing page for the programme, where the RFA, application portal link, and contact details will be published, is:
https://www.samrc.ac.za/funding/request-for-applications/bongani-mayosi-nhsp
Applicants should not rely on third-party bursary aggregator websites for information on this programme, as such sites often carry outdated deadlines or incorrect application details. For direct queries, the appropriate contact is the SAMRC’s Division of Research Capacity Development (RCD), whose specific contact details will be listed on the official SAMRC BM-NHSP webpage once the 2027 RFA is live.
Historical application package requirements have typically included:
- A detailed curriculum vitae (CV)
- Certified copies of academic transcripts
- A comprehensive research proposal outlining objectives, methodology, and significance
- A formal letter of endorsement or support from the proposed PhD supervisor
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