ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 NRF FREESTANDING POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

The National Research Foundation (NRF), the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and National Skills Fund (NSF) are pleased to announce the NRF Freestanding Postdoctoral Fellowships awards for 2026. These fellowships are aimed at promoting research and research capacity development in all knowledge fields of research, with priority given to Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) disciplines. Fellowships are open to South African citizens and permanent residents as well as international candidates who intend to undertake research at a public university or research institution in South Africa. The Scarce Skills Postdoctoral Fellowships are however open to bona fide South African citizens and permanent residents only

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

PLEASE NOTE:

• If your name does not appear on the relevant Tables below, you have not been awarded the NRF Freestanding Postdoctoral Fellowships awards 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.
• 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 one month of receipt of the award letter.
• 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 between January and February 2026.
• Applicants who are currently completing their doctoral dissertation for submission were allowed to submit applications. They should however have completed their doctoral degree by 31 December 2025. The NRF must receive proof of having completed the doctoral degree at the time of commencement of the Postdoctoral fellowship grant. All awards that are not taken up by 30 June 2026 (for only this category of applicants) will be cancelled by the NRF and no exemptions will be made if the completion letter or Doctoral certificate has not been issued by this time.

Full document below: