The Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (PSSA) runs its bursaries through the Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (FPE), a fund the society administers for pharmacy students. The FPE has two streams: an undergraduate bursary for pharmacy students from second year onwards, and a postgraduate bursary for master’s and doctoral research. The undergraduate application form for the 2027 academic year is online now, and the PSSA closes it on 5 October 2026.
Undergraduate FPE bursary: second year and up
The FPE funds undergraduate pharmacy study at recognised South African institutions, starting from the second year. A student finishing first year in 2026 is the earliest applicant for the 2027 form. The PSSA’s page gives no further marks or income rules for undergraduates, so read the questions on the form itself.
Getting the form in before 5 October 2026
The PSSA takes undergraduate applications through a Google Form linked from its FPE bursaries page on the PSSA website. The form asks you to sign in with a Google account, so set one up first if you do not have one. With only a few days left, open the form early so you have time to gather whatever documents it asks for.
The FPE’s applicant sheet lists nitsa@pssa.org.za and 012 470 9562 for bursary questions.
Postgraduate funding for pharmacy research
The FPE also funds postgraduate study in pharmacy-related subjects. The PSSA’s applicant information sheet sets these conditions:
- You study full-time and register with a school, department or faculty of pharmacy for an honours, master’s or doctoral degree.
- You are a South African citizen with an SA ID number.
- You are a PSSA member. Applicants who are not academic interns pay the membership fee.
- You attach every supporting document: ID, proof of income and academic record. The FPE ignores incomplete and late applications.
The FPE scores postgraduate applicants 60% on project viability and academic potential and 40% on financial need. It pays the award to your university, which deducts fees and passes any balance to you. No work-back obligation follows the award, but if you drop out during the year the FPE can demand the money back. Recipients reapply every year.
On 1 October 2026 the PSSA’s page said postgraduate applications had closed for 2026 and that the next postgraduate form would be available in May 2027. Contact the PSSA at info@pssa.org.za or 012 470 9550 if you need to confirm the timing for your studies.
The SAAHIP award for hospital pharmacists
The South African Association of Hospital and Institutional Pharmacists (SAAHIP) funds a separate postgraduate bursary that the FPE administers. Only paid-up SAAHIP members who have renewed their membership at least once qualify, and the study must relate to hospital or institutional pharmacy. SAAHIP’s guidelines set the first award at R1 500 a year, reviewed annually, for at most two consecutive years. Recipients report on their progress within three months of the end of the award year.
Pairing an FPE bursary with other health funding
FPE awards are annual and may not cover a full year’s costs, so many pharmacy students combine them with other funding. The Cipla bursary includes pharmacy among its fields, and our medical and health bursaries page lists more options, including the SANBS bursary for laboratory science.