Bursaries Posgraduates – UNISA Bursaries 2025/2026

Unisa Masters and Doctoral bursary application forms

• Masters by Coursework
• Masters by Research and Doctoral study
• Masters and Doctoral by Experimental Research

Unisa: Honours / Postgraduate Diploma Bursary

A.  Bursary Conditions:

1. The Bursary shall be awarded by the CHS on recommendation by the College of Graduate Studies (CGS) Bursary Selection Committee.
2. The Bursary shall be tenable in the first instance for one year, subject to renewal in subsequent years of registration. Any subsequent award will be based on the appropriate and successful utilization of the previous award/s and on satisfactory progress as demonstrated in the academic record of the student.
3. The Bursary shall be open to financially needy holders of an undergraduate degree in any discipline who have achieved the minimum average of 65% for the major in which they wish to undertake the Honours studies. Students who intend to study for their fourth year in Social Work and Visual Arts are also eligible, provided they meet the minimum requirement of 65% average at the third-year level. Such students are therefore required to motivate their applications by providing evidence of their need to the Vetting Committee.
4. The Bursary will not be awarded to students who are receiving funding from other sources.
5. The Bursary shall be open to South African citizens only.
6. The Bursary shall cover the full registration and tuition fees, a textbook amount and a research expenses amount (to the descretion of the Selection Committee) for the student’s chosen modules in the Honours degree, Postgraduate Diploma or the fourth year of study in Social Work or Visual Arts.
7. For students who have not completed the Honours or Postgraduate Diploma in 3 years, the Bursary shall be converted into a loan with interest rates determined by Unisa.
8. The Bursary shall NOT pay repeating modules that have been failed during previous examinations.
9. Recipients of the bursary will be urged to continue their studies and register for the Master’s degree upon successful completion of their Honours or Postgraduate Diploma studies.

B.  Important Dates:

1. Applications for the Bursary open on 4 November 2016 and close on 5 February .
2. Notification of results will be communicated to applicants by 28 February .

C.  Submission of applications:

The relevant application form must be sent to: DSF-POSTGRD@unisa.ac.za

Honours Bursary application form

Unisa Masters by Dissertation and Doctoral study Bursary

Criteria and conditions:
In line with the university’s funding policy, student funding to postgraduates is provided on the basis of academic merit. Kindly note that a submitted application form does not guarantee a bursary. Only applications received before the closing date will be evaluated for funding. Applications are open from 4 November 2016 to 5 February . Incomplete and late application forms will not be considered.

Eligibility

1. Have obtained 24 Credits in the Proposal module at Unisa, please note that this bursary does not cover the Proposal Module.
2. This bursary does not cover any Coursework Masters qualifications.
3. A supervisor’s report that recommends financial support on grounds of quality submissions e.g. research chapters submitted, data analyses etc.
4. Approval by the Masters and Doctoral Research Bursary Committee (MDRBC) based on academic progress, standard of work submitted, prioritisation of research fields, innovative specializations and appropriate methodology.
5. Preference will be given to, but is not limited to, the following fields: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics.
6. Awards will only be made dependent on available funding.
7. Closing date for applications is 5 February .
8. No late or incomplete applications will be considered

Bursary Conditions

1. All bursary awards, including the first one, are conditional upon receipt of a positive report from the student’s supervisor. Detailed progress reports and re-application forms for each subsequent year of funding, must be submitted to the Directorate Student Funding (DSF) by 5 February of any given year.
2. Bursaries are not awarded to permanent staff members of UNISA. They should apply for the master’s and doctoral support programme (MDSP).
3. Students who are registered for a second masters or doctoral degree will not be considered for a bursary.
4. This bursary will ONLY fund students registered for Masters by Dissertation or Doctoral qualifications
5. The bursary is awarded to South African and non-South African citizens, but preference will be given to South African students
6. Continued receipt of the bursary is dependent on a favourable supervisor’s report indicating that the recipient is progressing with his/her studies. Preference will be given to existing bursary holders, especially those close to completion.
7. Students need to submit a student’s report (Section F) before the application will be submitted for consideration to the Postgraduate Bursary Committee.
8. Granting of the bursary is not automatic. Only students who apply by the specified date and have completed the application form will be considered.
9. Students are responsible for claiming any credit balances in their student account from the UNISA Finance Department.
10. Students will be advised of the outcome within 4 weeks of the closing date.
11. By signing the application form, the student indicates that he/she agrees with and accepts the conditions contained therein.

• Masters by Dissertation (Full Research)
  • Registration fee for a maximum of 3 years. Research funds totalling R55,000 (paid out according to an submitted budget approved by the Supervisor and the MDRBC).
• Doctoral Research
  • Registration fee for a maximum of 4 years. Research funds totalling R80,000 (paid out according to an submitted budget approved by the Supervisor and the MDRBC).

Application form will be available from 4 November 2016 to 5 February .

Completed application forms must be returned to DSF-POSTGRD@unisa.ac.za

M&D by Research Bursary application form

Unisa Masters by Coursework Bursary

Criteria and conditions:
In line with the university’s funding policy, student funding to postgraduates is provided on the basis of academic merit. Kindly note that a submitted application form does not guarantee a bursary. Only applications received before the closing date will be evaluated for funding. Applications are open from 04 January 2016 to 05 March 2016. Incomplete and late application forms will not be considered.

Eligibility

1. Have passed two modules of the Coursework Masters.
2. A supervisor’s report that recommends financial support on grounds of academic performance in the coursework modules already completed.
3. Approval by the Masters and Doctoral Research Bursary Committee (MDRBC) based on the coursework modules already completed and supervisor’s report.
4. Preference will be given to, but is not limited to, the following fields: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, but not to the exclusion of the social sciences or humanities.
5. Awards will only be made dependent on available funding.
6. Closing date for applications is 05 March 2016.
7. No late or incomplete applications will be considered

Bursary Conditions

1. All bursaries will be awarded subject to the academic performance of the student and a positive report from the supervisor upon completion of the required coursework modules.
2. A submitted application form does not guarantee funding being awarded.
3. Awards will not be granted to: (a) permanent staff members of Unisa, (b) students who are registered for a second/third masters degree, (c) students who have already completed a doctorate, (d) students who have not successfully completed two modules towards the Coursework Masters, (e) students registered towards an MBA or MBL qualification.
4. The bursary will only fund students registered for a Coursework Masters qualification.
5. The bursary is awarded to South African and non-South African citizens, but preference will be given to South African students.
6. Continued receipt of the bursary is dependent on academic performance and a favourable supervisor’s report indicating that the recipient is progressing with his/her studies. Preference will be given to existing bursary holders, especially those close to completion.
7. Students need to submit a student’s report (Section F) before the application will e submitted for consideration to the Masters and Doctoral Bursary Committee
8. Students will be advised of the outcome within 4 weeks of the closing date.
9. If the application for funding is unsuccessful, it remains the responsibility of the student to settle any fees due to Unisa.
10. By signing this application form, the student indicates that he/she agrees with and accepts the conditions contained herein.
11. No late or incomplete applications will be considered.
12. Awards will only be made dependent on available funding.

Bursary Covers

1. Tuition fees for a maximum of 2(two) years.
2. Research funds not exceeding R20,000 while the student is registered for the dissertation module.

Research Budget

1. A detailed budget indicating expenditure needs to be submitted each year upon re-application.
2. Research funds will only be paid out according to the submitted and approved budget.
3. Submitted research budgets will be approved by both the supervisor and the MDRBC.

Completed application forms should be returned to DSF-POSTGRD@unisa.ac.za

Masters by Coursework Bursary application

Unisa Masters by Experimental Research Bursary

Criteria and conditions:
In line with the university’s funding policy, student funding to postgraduates is provided on the basis of academic merit. Kindly note that a submitted application form does not guarantee a bursary. Only applications received before the closing date will be evaluated for funding. Applications are open from 4 November 2016 – 25 October . Incomplete and late application forms will not be considered.

Eligibility

1. Have obtained 24 Credits in the Proposal module at Unisa, please note that this bursary does not cover the Proposal Module.
2. This bursary does not cover any Coursework Masters qualifications.
3. A supervisor’s report that recommends financial support on grounds of quality submissions e.g. research chapters submitted, data analyses etc.
4. Approval by the Masters and Doctoral Research Bursary Committee (MDRBC) based on academic progress, standard of work submitted, prioritisation of research fields, innovative specializations and appropriate methodology.
5. Preference will be given to, but is not limited to, the following fields: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics.
6. Awards will only be made dependent on available funding.
7. Closing date for applications is 25 October .
8. No late or incomplete applications will be considered

Bursary Conditions

1. All bursary awards, including the first one, are conditional upon receipt of a positive report from the student’s supervisor. Detailed progress reports and re-application forms for each subsequent year of funding, must be submitted to the Directorate Student Funding (DSF) by 25 October . No bursary applications will be considered without a full and complete submitted application form.
2. Bursaries are not awarded to permanent staff members of UNISA. They should apply for the master’s and doctoral support programme (MDSP).
3. Students who are registered for a second masters or doctoral degree will not be considered for a bursary.
4. This bursary will ONLY fund students registered for Masters or Doctoral by experimental research qualifications
5. The bursary is awarded to South African and non-South African citizens, but preference will be given to South African students
6. Continued receipt of the bursary is dependent on a favourable supervisor’s report indicating that the recipient is progressing with his/her studies. Preference will be given to existing bursary holders, especially those close to completion.
7. Students need to submit a student’s report (Section F) before the application will be submitted for consideration to the Postgraduate Bursary Committee.
8. Granting of the bursary is not automatic. Only students who apply by the specified date and have completed the application form will be considered.
9. Students are responsible for claiming any credit balances in their student account from the UNISA Finance Department.
10. Students will be advised of the outcome within 4 weeks of the closing date.
11. By signing the application form, the student indicates that he/she agrees with and accepts the conditions contained therein.

• Masters by Experimental Research
  • Registration fee for a maximum of 3 years. Research funds totalling R80,000 (paid out according to an submitted budget approved by the Supervisor and the MDRBC).
• Doctoral by Experimental Research
  • Registration fee for a maximum of 4 years. Research funds totalling R120,000 (paid out according to an submitted budget approved by the Supervisor and the MDRBC).

Application form will be available from 4 November 2016 to 25 October .

M&D by Experimental Research Bursary application form

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Bursary awards

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries intends to award comprehensive bursaries to qualifying applicants pursuing and/or intending to further their studies in critical scarce skills in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors. The bursaries will cover tuition, accommodation, books, meals and monthly allowance.

The bursary awards target the previously disadvantaged and impoverished persons from poverty-stricken and deep rural communities. Females and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. (This bursary is available to both undergraduate and postgraduate students).

Dieter Meyer zu Bargholz Bequest (DMzBB) M & D Archaeology Bursary

This bursary is awarded primarily to carry out fieldwork, laboratory / technical analyses, archival or oral research towards the completion of approved research projects for the master’s or doctoral degree. The funds may also be used to attend specialist training courses or local conference (e.g. of the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists) within the SADC region. Your Supervisor/s must be consulted before you submit your application.

Attorneys Fidelity Fund

The Attorneys Fidelity Fund is a statutory client protection fund, providing protection against loss of money or property entrusted to attorneys. The Fund is committed to the enhancement of standards of legal education in South Africa, particularly for aspirant entrants into the attorneys’ profession.

The minimum requirement to qualify for this bursary is a BA (Law), BComm (LawO, B.Iuris or B.Proc degree, OR proof of successful completion of the first 2 (two) years of the revised 4-year LLB curriculum. The bursary is intended for LLB study at a South African university. Preference will be given to applicants in serious financial need, although outstanding academic merit will be taken into consideration. The bursary shal only be applied towards tuition fees of a successful applicant.

For more information call:  021 424 46089 / 0711 or email: LLBbursary@fidfund.co.za

Website:  www.fidfund.co.za

Contact us – Unisa Bursaries 2025/2026

Physical Address
Sunnyside Campus
E’skia Mphahlele Building
Hall B
Tel:012 441 5460/3
E-mail:dsf@unisa.ac.za
Nonhlanhla Mabuza
Deputy Director
Tel: 012 441 5615
Sibongile Nhlapo
Admin Assistant
Tel: 012 441 5615
dsf@unisa.ac.za
Leonie van der Linde
Manager: Bursaries
Tel: 012 441 5615
dsf@unisa.ac.za
Postgraduate Funding Team

Refilwe Makgae
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5608
DSF-postgrd@unisa.ac.za Morgan Mashweu
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5607
DSF-postgrd@unisa.ac.za Jo Mphogo Mashweu
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5601
DSF-postgrd@unisa.ac.za
Government Funding Team

Fanyana Chabalala
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5609
DSF-gov@unisa.ac.za Jackie Ndlovu
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5460
DSF-gov@unisa.ac.za Japhtar Kgole
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 8664
DSF-gov@unisa.ac.za
Companies Funding Team

Sibusiso Mashinini
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5612
DSFcompanies@unisa.ac.za Ntombi Ngcobo
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5627
DSFcompanies@unisa.ac.za Emily Makoti
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5612
DSFcompanies@unisa.ac.za
SETA Funding Team

Maupi Letsoalo
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5600
DSF-SETA@unisa.ac.za Deborah Dlamini
Fund Administrator
Tel: 011 471 2366
DSF-SETA@unisa.ac.za
NSFAS Funding Team

Vincent Moloi
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5629
DSF-NSFAS@unisa.ac.za Naome Olamajulo
Fund Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5603
DSF-NSFAS@unisa.ac.za
Secondment Projects

Isaac Mabena
Manager: Loans
Tel: 012 441 5463
Dineo Mokhubu
Loan Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5463
Sandra Monyai
Loan Administrator
Tel: 012 441 5463