Freestanding Doctoral Scholarships ·South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)

Overview

This program offers Freestanding Doctoral Scholarships for the 2027 academic year, aimed at supporting outstanding postgraduate researchers in fields relevant to radio astronomy, engineering, data science, and technologies linked to the MeerKAT and SKA telescopes.

Eligibility

Applications are invited from:

• South African citizens
• South African permanent residents
• Citizens of Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia.

To qualify, applicants must meet the following academic requirements:

• Have completed a relevant Master’s degree in 2025 or later, or be in the final year of a relevant Master’s degree program.
• Have research experience aligned with an approved SARAO doctoral project.
• Achieve a minimum average of 65% in their Master’s degree.

Benefits

Applicants will receive comprehensive financial support, including:

• Annual scholarship stipend of R210,000.
• International student fees covered for eligible non-South African students.
• Annual travel grant of R55,000.
• Research equipment grant of R35,000.
• One return home travel ticket per year for eligible international students.
• Repatriation costs where required.
• Emergency medical insurance.
• Assistive technology grant of up to R20,000 for students with disabilities.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the NRF Connect online platform. The steps include:

• Visit the NRF Connect portal.
• Select the “SARAO Doctoral” funding option.
• Complete the online application form and upload all required documents.
• Ensure referees submit reference letters before the deadline.

Applications must include a signed supervision-agreement letter from a project supervisor agreeing to supervise the doctoral research.

Deadline

For the 2027 academic year, specific deadline information may be obtained from SARAO’s official website.