Bi-annual Progress Reports: Postgraduate Scholarships 2022 – Mid-Year Reports

All students receiving NRF postgraduate funding under the new Postgraduate Policy at either Full or Partial Cost of Study (FCS/PCS) will be required to submit Bi-annual Progress Reports.

This is to ensure that students are making sufficient progress with their studies and will complete their degrees within the stipulated timeframes. In addition, it will help the institution and the NRF identify where there is a lack of progress and to put in place any corrective measures to help the student.

Students will be expected to submit the reports to the NRF as follows:

*See manual report template for Honours attached.

The following documents should be attached to the progress report for Honours, Masters and Doctoral:

1. Copy of the signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) between
   1. The **master’s/doctoral student and the supervisor; or
   2. The honours student and the Supervisor/Head of Department (HoD)

**Masters students registered for coursework in the first year of study, should submit the agreed and signed MoU with their year-end reports due by mid-February 2023.

• Ethical clearance certificate (if applicable to the research and if available at time of progress report submission)
• Proof of higher degrees approval i.e. proof that your research project/topic for master’s or doctoral study has been approved. Please check with your institution on where to obtain this document as it differs amongst institutions.

4. List of Academic Support Activities undertaken or to be undertaken at honours, master’s or doctoral levels. These must be signed off by the supervisor or Head of Department (HoD) in the case of honours students. The information can also form part of the MoU. For more information on the academic support activities, please refer to the NRF Statement of Expectation for Postgraduate Training which can be accessed via:  https://www.nrf.ac.za/dsi-nrf-postgraduate-student-funding-for-the-2023-academic-year/.

NB: If at the time of reporting there is no MoU, the student and supervisor/HoD must indicate the reasons and timeline for submission.

Note: Grantholders who registered in the first semester of 2022 and fail to comply and complete a mid-year progress report will be in breach of the conditions of grant. These grantholders will not be eligible for further funding and will have to return any NRF funding that has already been paid to them.

DAs please note: These reports should be submitted to the NRF on the NRF Online Submission System (https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za).

Should you require any assistance, please contact:

Reports below: