ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS FOR THE NRF-DAAD MASTERS AND DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FUNDING IN 2026 ACADEMIC YEAR

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), National Research Foundation (NRF), and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) are pleased to announce the provisional awards for the NRF-DAAD Masters and Doctoral Scholarships in 2026. The awards have been made according to the strategic objectives of the NRF-DAAD funding instrument, the DSTI-NRF Postgraduate Funding Policy and the available budget. Successful applications for NRF-DAAD Masters and Doctoral Scholarships are listed in the Table 1 (masters) and Table 2 (doctoral). Candidates are awarded at Full Cost of Study (FCS).

PLEASE NOTE:

• If your name appears in the tables below, you have been provisionally successful in receiving an award for 2026, provided that you meet the minimum requirements according to the DSTI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarship Framework for 2026, DSTI-NRF Masters and Doctoral Application and Funding Guide, and the Conditions of Grant.
• Successful candidates will receive notifications to view and download their scholarship award letters and conditions of grant, as well as accept the award via the NRF Connect system.
• The awarded candidates must carefully read the Award Letter, Conditions of Grant and the Additional Conditions of Grant documents before accepting the award.
• Guidelines on how to accept the award on the NRF Connect System: https://www.nrf.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Acceptance-of-Award.pdf
• Once the successful candidate has accepted the award on the NRF Connect System. The Designated Authority from the university postgraduate/research office must validate and accept the award on behalf of the institution before it can be created as a grant on the Connect system.
• Should it later be discovered that the candidate does not meet the relevant requirements for FCS funding, the NRF reserves the right to retract the awarded scholarship.
• Should the candidate not meet the relevant requirements for FCS funding, the NRF reserves the right to change the scholarship to PCS funding.
• Funds will only be released once the award has been accepted on NRF Connect and all required documentation uploaded to the grant on the NRF Connect System.
• The scholarship award must be taken up within Two (2) months from the date of issue of the letter of award, unless otherwise approved by the NRF. Awards not taken up within Two (2) months from the date of issue of the award letter, will be automatically cancelled. Candidates that will be taking up funding in the second semester should notify the NRF in writing via the Designated Authority at the institution’s postgraduate/research office and obtain the necessary approvals.
• If your name does not appear in the Table below or any other published list of successful applicants, it means you have not been awarded a scholarship for 2026.
• Feedback letters to unsuccessful candidates will be provided between January and March 2026.
• All programme eligibility requirements will be confirmed by the institutional office and the NRF on acceptance of award. The NRF reserves the right to withdraw and cancel the scholarship should the applicant fail to meet all necessary conditions and/or requirements as stated in the DSTI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarship Framework for 2026, DSTI-NRF Masters and Doctoral Application and Funding Guide, and the Conditions of Grant.

Full document below: