The National Research Foundation of South Africa: Postgraduate Bursaries 2025 at Wits University

Scholarship Overview

The deadline is approaching for funding for full time PhD and Masters students for submitting applications for nomination for bursaries from the The National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) through the SARCHi Chair in Skills Development, based at the The Centre for Researching Education and Labour (REAL), Wits University.

Closing date: 05 July 2024

Doctoral and Masters Fellowship for 2024 – 2025: The Centre for Researching Education and Labour (REAL) is offering Doctoral fellowships (three years) and Masters fellowships (one year) attached to the
SARCHI Research Chair in Skills Development.

Fellowship Value

• PhD fellowships are available for three-year periods and are for full-time study, valued at up to R for the first year and R188 000, depending on financial need.
• Masters fellowships are available for one-year and are for full-time study, it is valued at up to R182 000, depending on financial need.
• Additional funding for travel and research expenses is available, and involvement in research projects at the REAL Centre is an additional possibility.

Eligibility

• Candidates should be in a position to register for full time studies in 2024.
• PhD candidates should have a strong Master’s degree in Education (with an appropriate focus), Sociology, Economics, or a cognate discipline with a relevant focus;
• Masters candidates should be in possession of an Honours degree. The South African NRF does not fund PhD students older than 32 at the age of registration; for Masters students the cut off is 30 years.

Research Areas

Prospective candidates can propose any topic related to skills development, or education/work relationships. The following are particularly welcomed:

• Patterns of skill formation systems in developing countries
• The relationships between skills development and industrial development in a developing country context
• Knowledge and curriculum in preparation for work in specific occupations
• The roles of education and training in reinforcing or rupturing inequality in society
• Qualifications, the labour market and new forms of work organisation
• Access to work and types of work in the informal labour market

Students at REAL have a great time, are involved in all sorts of research projects, and get great support. Get in touch if you have questions!

How to Apply

Applicants have to apply on the NRF online system https://nrfconnect.nrf.ac.za/, for the fellowship of the SARCHI Chair in Skills Development. The NRF funds successful applicants either at Full Cost Study (FCS) or Partial Cost of Study (PCS).

The FCS funding can be awarded to South African citizens and permanent residents only, who are either financially needy (i.e., those whose combined household family income is less or equal to R350 000 per annum), living with a disability or exceptional academic achievers.

However, the PCS funding will be awarded to 5% of international students including South African
citizens and permanent residents who could not be funded under FCS but meet other minimum requirements for the NRF scholarship funding criteria.

CLOSING DATE: 05 July 2024
Successful candidates will be contacted by the university.