Eligibility Criteria

Postgraduate student funding will be made for full-time honours, masters, and doctoral degrees only. It must be noted that the NRF will not fund the following

1. Undergraduate qualifications, regardless of National Qualifications Framework (NQF) exit level
2. Postgraduate certificates or diplomas, regardless of NQF exit level and
3. Professional masters and doctoral degrees, regardless of NQF exit level. (Further clarification of the professional degrees can be obtained from the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) approved by the DHET).

A student must obtain:

• A minimum average of 65% for major subjects in the final undergraduate year of study for honours funding;
• A minimum average of 65% at the honours level or final year of a four year degree for masters funding; and
• A minimum of 65% at the masters level for doctoral funding.

Only applicants with a numerical pass mark may apply for NRF funding. Exception will be made for:

• South African citizens or permanent residents who graduated prior to 2021 academic year with a ‘Pass’ and ‘Pass with a distinction’;
• South African citizens or permanent residents with a ‘Pass with distinction’;
• International applicants applying for master’s and doctoral scholarships;
• South African citizens with international qualifications applying for master’s and doctoral scholarships.

Refer to the Application and Funding Framework for more details.

A student must obtain:

• A minimum average of 65% for major subjects in the final undergraduate year of study for honours funding;
• A minimum average of 65% at the honours level or final year of a four year degree for masters funding; and
• A minimum of 65% at the masters level for doctoral funding.

A student who obtains:

• A minimum average of 75% for major subjects in the final undergraduate year of study for honours funding;
• A minimum average of 75% at the honours level or final year of a four year degree for masters funding; and
• A minimum of 75% (or cum laude) at the masters level for doctoral funding.

No, students from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the rest of the world will only qualify for PCS funding.

Yes, the age limit applies to all students receiving NRF postgraduate funding across all NRF Programmes.

The proposed age limits for accessing NRF postgraduate funding are intended to significantly decrease the average age at completion of doctoral degrees to around 35 years. Early completion will allow adequate time for research productivity that leads to becoming an established and internationally recognised researcher. In addition, a high proportion of NRF-funded students pursuing full-time postgraduate studies complete their postgraduate degrees within these age limits.

The average completion age for an undergraduate degree as published by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) was 21 years. In addition, the NRF analysed a cohort of 60 000 postgraduate students funded by the NRF over a six-year period and looked at the average age at completion for honours, masters and doctoral students. The prescribed ages for qualifications were obtained as an outcome of this analysis.

No, international students will not be eligible for NRF honours postgraduate funding. International students will be only be eligible for funding at the master's and doctoral levels and will be funded at PCS only.