The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) awards a limited number of scholarships each year for postgraduate study at master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral level. OMT backs people with a proven record of academic excellence who plan careers in academia, research, development or related fields in South Africa. Most awards are for study at South African universities, and OMT says it may give preference to local study.
OMT’s two deadlines a year depend on when your studies start
OMT does not run a single annual intake. The deadline is tied to the start date of the programme you want funded:
- Programmes starting January to June: apply by 31 August of the previous year. For starts in the first half of 2027, OMT’s window ran from 1 June 2026 and closed on 31 August 2026.
- Programmes starting July to December: apply by 31 March of the same year. In 2026 this window opened on 6 January and closed on 31 March 2026.
If your degree begins in the second half of 2027, OMT’s guidelines point to a 31 March 2027 deadline. OMT had not yet published the opening date for that window when we checked on 1 October 2026, so watch the postgraduate study page on the OMT website from early January.
Students already partway through a degree can also apply, for example for the second year of a two-year master’s, as long as they apply in the window before that academic year starts. OMT will not consider an application once the academic year it covers has begun.
Who OMT accepts at each level
- Master’s and PhD: South African citizens and permanent residents.
- Postdoctoral: South African citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals. OMT gives preference to postdoctoral scholars who have moved between institutions or faculties during their studies.
Study abroad is only for exceptional candidates. They need either a programme in a highly specialised field not readily available in South Africa, or a level of work that calls for supervision under leading international experts in the discipline.
OMT’s guidelines also set firm limits. OMT does not fund a second degree at the same level as one you already hold, and it does not fund MBAs, DBAs or other programmes with a narrow commercial focus. Funding lasts at most two years for a master’s, three years for a PhD and two years for a postdoc, renewed each year only if your progress is satisfactory.
An OMT award is a contribution, not a full ride
OMT states plainly that awards are not granted on a full-cost basis and that their value varies with each candidate’s circumstances. You must submit a budget covering tuition, living costs, travel and books, along with every source of income: savings, family help, loans, other bursaries and part-time work. OMT reduces its award by the value of any other funding you secure, and it does not pay direct research or project costs. Because OMT does not allow budget changes after an award, get your numbers right the first time.
Since OMT expects co-funding, it makes sense to pair an application with other postgraduate funders. Honours students can look at NRF honours funding, and data science master’s candidates at the SARB master’s scholarship. More options are listed under postgraduate bursaries.
Building the application on OMT’s portal
OMT only considers applications made on its OMT online application portal. Emailed or incomplete submissions are rejected. The portal asks for:
- An outline of the intended study: topic, institution, start date and duration. Master’s applicants describe coursework and dissertation plans, while PhD and postdoctoral applicants set out the problem statement, objectives, methods and timeframes, and why the work matters for South Africa and Africa.
- The budget and full financial disclosure described above, with proof of funding already secured.
- A motivation of no more than 500 words. OMT says this statement must not be written by AI, apart from grammar checks, and you must declare any AI tool or prompt used in the written answers.
- A CV of up to three pages, your ID, permanent residence permit or passport, and a recent professional photograph.
- Transcripts and certificates for every degree, plus academic awards (or, for postdocs, publications, conference papers and supervision record).
- Three reference letters, which referees upload directly. OMT won’t look at your application until at least two referees have done so.
You may list up to three institutions in one application, marking your first choice. Trustees decide awards on merit. OMT also runs a separate scheme for academics on sabbatical, described on its OMT sabbatical study page. Postgraduate applicants who are also young leaders from anywhere in Africa may want to compare the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship.
Can I ask OMT about my application by email?
Yes. OMT takes queries at applicationqueries@omt.org.za, but the application itself and all documents must go through the portal.
Does OMT fund undergraduate or Honours study?
OMT’s postgraduate scholarships cover master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral study only. Its guidelines do not offer undergraduate or Honours funding.