SANSA Postgraduate Bursaries for 2026/2027
SANSA provides bursaries to contribute to the national target for qualified postgraduates in science and engineering, in direct support of the goals of the National Development Plan.
South Africa needs an increase in science and engineering graduates if we are to effectively resource the country with the necessary and scarce skills to achieve the goals of the National Development Plan and ensure a successful and sustainable future for our citizens. SANSA provides postgraduate degree bursaries to contribute to the national target for qualified postgraduates in science and engineering.
Scope of projects:
Earth Observation (Hons, MSc, PhD)
- Remote sensing; Geospatial programming; Geographic Information Systems (GIS); Earth system science with remote sensing; Earth observations in ecosystems accounting; Environmental Science; Applications of remote sensing in environmental management including oceans and marine, agriculture and rangelands, water resource management, mineral resource and spatial planning
Space Engineering (MEng, MTech, MSc, PhD, DTech)
- Computer Engineering; Electronic Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Information Technology; Software and systems engineering; Aeronautical, aerospace, mechatronic engineering; Space, systems, antenna and RF engineering
Space Science (Hons, MSc, MPhil, PhD)
- Physics; Applied Mathematics; Space Science; Antarctic radar studies of climate change; Multi-instrument studies of space weather; Modelling geomagnetically induced currents in power systems; Multi scale ionospheric physics, structure and dynamics; Ionospheric and radio propagation modelling; Theory of waves and solutions in plasmas; Solar physics; Space Weather forecasting and verification aligned to navigation and radiation applications
SANSA POSTGRADUATE BURSARIES ELIGIBILITY
The main criteria used in the selection of successful applicants are financial need, academic potential, and career-oriented study programmes.
Applicants must have achieved an average of no less than 65% in their last completed year of full-time study or in their most recent formal examination. Eligibility is strictly confined to South African citizens.
Please note the following:
- An application will only be considered if it has been completed properly and in full.
- All documents must be uploaded in PDF format as unencrypted files, with each file not exceeding 150 MB. Failure to comply will result in the application being deemed incomplete.
- Documents that accompany the application form must be uploaded and certified. Certified copies of your South African ID must have been certified within three months prior to the date of submission.
- Testimonial form must be completed by the supervisor using the official template provided within the application portal and uploaded to the application form.
- A draft research proposal is required. Master’s level applicants must submit a proposal of 2 to 5 pages; Doctoral applicants must submit a proposal of 4 to 10 pages. Both must be signed and dated by both the applicant and their proposed supervisor.
For the 2026/2027 academic year, successful applicants will receive bursaries with values as stated below:
- Honours / 4th Year – R150,000 per annum
- Masters (MTech / MSc / MEng) – R160,000 per annum
- Doctoral (PhD / DTech) – R170,000 per annum
Applicants may not hold a combination of bursaries that exceed these amounts. Should an applicant have another bursary of a lesser amount, SANSA will consider providing a top-up amount to the student provided the student meets the criteria mentioned above.
Support for continuing years is not guaranteed and will depend on satisfactory progress during the previous year.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
The following documents must be prepared and uploaded as part of the application:
- Full, official university academic record from the beginning of undergraduate studies up to and including the final or mid-year results for 2026
- Official undergraduate university student account statement or an official letter confirming NSFAS funding (if applicable)
- Certified copy of South African ID (certified within three months of submission date)
- Testimonial from a lecturer or proposed supervisor, completed using the official template in the application portal
- Draft research proposal (2–5 pages for Master’s; 4–10 pages for Doctoral), signed and dated by both the applicant and proposed supervisor
SANSA POSTGRADUATE BURSARIES APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Interested students must submit their application online through the official SANSA application portal at https://www.sansa.org.za/bursaries/application/. Do not use third-party sites or unofficial portals, as these are unauthorized and may result in incomplete or insecure submissions.
As of the latest available information, no official closing date for the 2027 cycle has been announced by SANSA. Applicants must monitor the official SANSA Bursaries page at https://www.sansa.org.za/bursaries/ regularly for the official announcement. Do not rely on third-party websites for closing dates — only information on the sansa.org.za domain should be trusted.
For bursary enquiries, contact SANSA directly:
- General bursary queries: students@sansa.org.za
- Space Science specific queries: spacesci-info@sansa.org.za or call 028 312 1196
Important: SANSA will never request payment or sensitive personal information through unofficial channels. If you are unsure about any communication you receive, verify it directly through the official SANSA website or the contact details above before responding.
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