ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION (NRF)-FIRST RAND EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION (FREF) BLACK ACADEMICS ADVANCEMENT PROGRAMME (BAAP) 2026

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation (FREF) are pleased to announce the provisional awards for the NRF-FREF Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP) 2026. The awards have been made according to the strategic objectives of the programme, viz, to promote the development of Black South African academics, equity and transformation redress. The successful applications for the PhD and Post PhD Track for the 2026 academic year are listed in Tables 1 and 2 respectively.

The NRF reserves the right to withdraw and cancel the grant should the applicant fail to meet all necessary conditions and/or requirements as stated in the BAAP research grant Call for 2026 Framework document and the Conditions of Grant.

PLEASE NOTE:

• If your name does not appear on Table 1 (PhD) and or Table 2 (Post PhD), you have not been awarded a BAAP research grant for 2026.
• Successful candidates will be able to view and download their award letters in January 2026, via NRF Connect against their applications.
• Read through the Conditions of Grant (CoG) letter and award letter documents carefully before accepting the award.
• Access Guidelines on how to accept the award: https://www.nrf.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Acceptance-of-Award.pdf
• All required documentation must be uploaded on the awardees’ NRF Connect profile within two months of receipt of the award letter.
• Funds will only be released once the completed and required documentation have been received by the NRF.
• The sooner the NRF obtains all the required documents, the sooner it will release the funds.
• The NRF feedback on the review of applications will be forwarded to all unsuccessful applicants by February 2026.
• Please send all enquiries regarding the outcomes to the NRF via your Research Office.

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