If you're heading into Honours, a Master's, or a PhD in 2027 or 2028, you already know the hardest part isn't getting accepted - it's funding the years it takes to get there. Postgraduate funding works differently from undergraduate bursaries: there are far fewer seats, the criteria are more specific, and a good chunk of the best-paying options send you overseas rather than keep you local. This guide walks you through every verified postgraduate bursary and scholarship currently open on this site, grouped so you can quickly find the ones that actually match your field and circumstances.
Before You Start Applying
Don't apply to all 30+ of these at once. Read through the categories below, shortlist the five or six that genuinely match your field, citizenship, and academic record, and put your effort into those applications instead of spreading yourself thin across everything on this list. Pay close attention to closing dates - postgraduate scholarships, especially the international ones, often close many months before the academic year actually starts, so a "2027" scholarship might already have a closing date earlier in 2026.
Study-Abroad Scholarships
If you're open to studying outside South Africa, these are worth serious consideration - the funding packages are usually more comprehensive than local bursaries, since they need to cover your visa, flights, and cost of living in another country.
Chevening Scholarship for Studies in the UK - Aimed at working professionals, not students moving straight from undergrad: you need a completed degree plus at least two years of work experience. It covers full UK tuition, a monthly living allowance, and return airfare. Closes 6 October 2026.
Gates Cambridge International Scholarship - Funds a full-time Master's or PhD at the University of Cambridge in any subject Cambridge offers. Covers full tuition, a living allowance, airfare, and discretionary funding. Closes 1 December 2026.
Beit Trust Scholarship (South Africa and the UK) - Specifically for nationals of Zambia, Zimbabwe, or Malawi under 30 (35 for medical doctors), with a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree. Covers a full taught Master's at a Beit Trust partner university - note it doesn't fund MBAs or PhD research at initial application. No fixed closing date published.
Cecil Renaud Overseas Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies in the UK - A narrower eligibility pool: you must have completed your entire secondary schooling at a KwaZulu-Natal school and be under 27. Funds up to two years of a UK Master's or PhD. Closes 30 September 2026.
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) - Open to any Commonwealth country citizen, provided you study somewhere other than your own country - genuinely pan-Commonwealth, not just South Africa-to-UK. Covers full tuition, a living stipend, arrival allowance, and flights. No fixed closing date published.
UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship - For African citizens who completed undergrad at an African university and don't already hold a postgraduate degree. Covers the full cost of a UC Berkeley Master's, including travel, fees, housing, and living expenses. No fixed closing date published.
Fulbright Foreign Student Program (South Africa) - Funds a Master's or PhD in the US, or a one-year Visiting Student Researcher placement if you're already enrolled in a PhD locally. Almost any field qualifies except MBA and most clinical medical study. Awarded for two years. No fixed closing date published.
TETA Scholarship at the World Maritime University - Funds postgraduate maritime-related study specifically at the World Maritime University, an institution founded by the International Maritime Organization. Requires a relevant undergraduate qualification and strong academics. Closes 31 October 2026.
KAS-SAIIA Scholarship - For Master's students 30 or younger who haven't yet completed their first year of study. Fully funds Master's-level study and includes a structured internship at SAIIA or KAS, giving you hands-on foreign-policy research experience alongside your funding. Closes 1 September 2026.
Government, Parastatal, and SETA Funding
These come from government departments, state entities, or the SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authorities) - generally more bureaucratic to apply for, but often more predictable year over year.
National Treasury Bursary - For 3rd-year undergrad through Honours/Master's level, with a strong academic record. Covers registration, tuition, accommodation, prescribed materials, board exam costs, and a monthly allowance. Closes 30 September 2026.
DSI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarship - South African citizens/permanent residents can access Full Cost of Study funding; others can apply under Partial Cost of Study terms. Funding level depends on which criteria you meet. Closes 31 October 2026.
NRF Scholarship at the University of Johannesburg - Funds Master's and PhD study specifically in Visual Arts. You need at least 65% in your prior degree, and to be under 30 (Master's) or 32 (PhD); full funding needs South African citizenship plus a higher academic bar. Closed 31 May 2026 for this cycle - check back for the next one.
South African National Space Agency (SANSA) Bursary - For postgraduate STEM study connected to Earth Observation, Space Engineering, or related fields, aged 32 or younger with at least 65% in your most recent studies. Funding scales with qualification level, from R150,000/year (Honours) to R170,000/year (Doctoral). Closes 30 September 2026.
SARB Art Scholarship - From the South African Reserve Bank, for financially needy students entering final-year undergrad, Honours, Master's, or an eligible Advanced Diploma in Fine Arts. Closes 30 September 2026.
BANKSETA/UKZN Outstanding Student Debt Fund - Specifically for UKZN students in the School of Accounting, Finance & Economics with outstanding debt. Clears debt on a case-by-case basis, with no work-back obligation attached. Closes 31 October 2026.
Services SETA Bursary - For NQF Level 5+ study in a services-sector field, with at least 50% academic average and demonstrated financial need. Postgraduate students specifically get access to a travel and research allowance on top of tuition. Closes 31 October 2026.
UNISA BANKSETA Bursary - For UNISA distance-learning students under 35 studying Banking, Financial Management, Risk Management, Economics, Business Administration, IT, or Accounting - you can't hold another bursary alongside it. This cycle closed 29 January 2026; check back for the next intake.
Bergrivier Municipality Bursary - Restricted to residents of the Bergrivier Municipal Area (Western Cape), studying any field at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Coverage depends on your circumstances and available funds. Closes 4 September 2026.
Corporate Bursaries and Fellowships
Corporate-funded postgraduate opportunities tend to be narrower in scope - often tied to one specific degree or department - but usually pay well and can lead directly into a job offer.
TFG Fellowship Bursary - For a research or coursework-based Master's in Data Science or a related field. Covers tuition, living and meal allowances, equipment, and includes an event at TFG's Cape Town head office. Closes 30 September 2026.
AWS Skills Development Bursary - Requires at least 65% for Maths and English in Matric (or an overall average above 65% if already at tertiary level). A full-cost bursary covering tuition, stationery, books, a personal computer, accommodation, subsistence, and transport. Closes 30 September 2026.
Amazon Bursary - Same eligibility bar as the AWS bursary above (65% Maths/English in Matric, or 65%+ overall at tertiary level) and the same full-cost coverage - tuition, stationery, books, a computer, accommodation, subsistence, and transport. Closes 30 September 2026.
Old Mutual Imfundo Trust Scholarship - Mostly an undergraduate first/second-year scholarship, but explicitly open to postgraduate Climate Studies applicants too. Closes 30 September 2026.
Analyze Consulting Bursary - For Black South African citizens (under the B-BBEE Act) studying a 4th-year BBusSc in Information Systems or a BCom Honours in Information Systems. Covers full university, registration, and exam fees - not accommodation or living costs - with a post-graduation work-back commitment. Closed 19 August 2026 for this cycle; check back for the next one.
Trusts, Foundations, and NGO Bursaries
These are independently funded, often by a specific family trust or advocacy organisation, and tend to have more flexible or mission-driven eligibility criteria than corporate or government funding.
Wenosa Scholarship - For female South African citizens entering their final year of study in 2026, with at least 65% average. Worth R50,000 per student toward tuition and study materials. Closes 31 August 2026.
DEC Trust Bursary for Students With Disabilities - For South African citizens with a disability pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate study in a scarce and critical skills field. Funding depends on availability. Closes 30 September 2026.
Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) Scholarship - For Master's and Doctoral students with a proven record of academic excellence heading into academia or research. Awarded one year at a time and doesn't cover the full cost of study, so plan for additional funding alongside it. Closes 31 August 2026.
Margaret McNamara Education Grants (MMEG) Bursary - Specifically for women aged 25 or older, enrolled in-person at a South African university at Certificate, Undergraduate, Graduate, or Post Doctorate level. Grants of up to US$7,500 (roughly R120,000). Closes 14 September 2026.
Poliomyelitis Research Foundation Bursaries - For BSc Honours, MSc, or PhD study in Virology specifically, with at least 60% in your most recent studies. Master's students get up to two years of support, PhD students up to three. Closes 15 September 2026.
Feenix Student Debt Bursary - For students at public universities with combined household income under R600,000/year. Works through crowdfunding campaigns to clear outstanding fees, and also administers dedicated bursary programmes on behalf of donors like Absa and FirstRand. Closes 31 December 2026.
Industry-Body Bursaries
These come from professional associations and industry bodies funding the next generation of their own profession - membership or industry-specific requirements usually apply.
SASMT Study Bursary - Restricted to South African Society of Music Teachers members of more than two years, studying music at an SASMT-approved institution or with an approved teacher. Awarded every second year. Closes 31 October 2026.
South African Institute of Valuers (SAIV) Bursary - For property valuation students who've completed first year, requiring SAIV student membership - and you can't hold any other bursary at the same time. Closes 31 October 2026.
SANSOR Bursary - South African citizens by birth only (not naturalised citizens or permanent residents), for Honours, Master's, or Doctoral study connected to the seed industry. Renewable annually based on academic performance. Closes 30 September 2026.
Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa Bursaries - The postgraduate track requires PSSA membership and funds pharmacy-related Master's/Doctoral study, assessed on project viability as much as academic results. Closes 5 October 2026.
ISFAP Postgraduate Bursary - For South African citizens with household income between R0 and R600,000/year, accepted at an ISFAP partner institution, entering the first year of postgraduate (Honours or Master's) study in an approved Occupation of High Demand field. Closes 31 October 2026.
Still building your funding plan? Browse the full bursaries and scholarships listing for undergraduate options too, or read our guide on how SASSA and NSFAS interact if you're weighing up other funding sources alongside these.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for more than one postgraduate bursary at the same time?
Generally yes, since most of these come from different, unrelated funders - but read each one's eligibility carefully, since some (like the SAIV Bursary) explicitly bar you from holding another bursary at the same time.
Do I need to already have an Honours degree to apply for these?
It depends on the specific scholarship. Some, like the SARAO and NRF postgraduate scholarships, fund the Honours year itself as your entry postgraduate qualification. Others, like Gates Cambridge or the Beit Trust, expect you to already hold an Honours (or equivalent) before applying for Master's-level funding.
Why do some of these closing dates look like they've already passed?
Postgraduate scholarships - especially international ones - often run on a cycle tied to a foreign academic year, so their application window can close many months before study actually begins. Where a listed date has passed, check back on this site or the funder's own page for their next intake, since most of these run annually.
Are international scholarships harder to get than local South African ones?
They're more competitive since they draw applicants from many countries, but they typically fund your entire cost of living abroad, not just tuition - so the overall value is usually higher than a local bursary covering tuition alone.
What if I don't qualify for any of these?
Check the full bursaries and scholarships listing for undergraduate-level funding, or look into whether your household's SASSA grant status could support an NSFAS application if you're moving into further study - see our guide on how SASSA and NSFAS interact.