The National Research Foundation (NRF) funding program is here to help you pursue your postgraduate degree. It is an independent statutory body that helps fund research development of high-end human capacity and critical research infrastructures or multi-disciplinary knowledge production.
NRF has now incorporated research funding agencies for students who wish to apply for a full-time postgraduate program.
Who is eligible to apply for NRF funding?
Whether it is an honours, master’s, or doctoral qualification, applying for the NRF bursary could help you go after your research interests but, there are a few eligibility requirements that need to be ticked off before starting the application process.
Firstly, NFR offers successful applicants a Full Cost Study (FCS) or a Partial Cost Study (PCS). South African citizens and permanent residents who are financially needy and have a household income that is less or equal to R350 000 are most likely to receive a FCS.
Anyone awarded an NRF bursary may not have full-time salary employment, supplementary bursaries, grants, or emoluments.
However, there are also age entry prerequisites. Any applicant interested in honours, master’s, or doctoral degrees should be 28, 30, 32, or younger in the year of application regardless of the first year of registration.
Finally, to qualify for NRF funding, you must have a minimum average of 65%, anything below that will not be considered.
How to apply for NRF funding
Make sure you have your documents in order because the NRF application does need you to dedicate a substantial amount of time to complete it.
For a smooth application process these are all the documents you will need;
- An official academic record on the university letterhead.
- Applicants with outstanding fees are required to attach an official letter from the university
confirming their first year of registration for the degree and indicating that the student still has
outstanding fees owed to the university. - Applicants with disabilities must upload a medical certificate, in support of the disability.
The document must be attached under the Disability section only. - First-time honours applicants who were previously supported by NSFAS or ISFAP must attach
proof in the form of an official university stamped financial statement clearly showing that the
funds are coming from these funders, a statement from the funder or a letter from NSFAS,
ISFAP or the university stating that the applicant received funding from them. - Identity Document (ID)
- Part of the application review process is a financial means test. This will need you to fill out a consent form and get it certified, to give NRF the authority to verify your financial need status.
You can apply for your postgraduate funding through the NRF online submission system and to make sure there are no mistakes, follow this application guide to help you with every step of your application
When it comes to closing dates, most universities have internal cut-off dates, so make sure to check with your relevant postgraduate office for more information. However, there are also general closing dates for those who are not currently enrolled in a university, which is 31 December 2021.
What is NRF’s funding period?
It is also important to note that each level of study is funded for a maximum period,
- Honours – one year
- Masters – two years
- Doctoral – three years
Masters upgrade to doctoral four years, of which one or two years may be for masters studies