A Masters Degree (NQF-9) is one of the most demanding yet rewarding qualifications in higher education. It provides advanced training, prepares students for specialised careers, and builds the foundation for doctoral studies. A Masters program usually combines coursework, independent research, and a dissertation.
Admission requires a relevant Honours degree or Postgraduate Diploma, along with a strong academic record. Since the financial cost of postgraduate studies can be high, many organisations, universities, and foundations offer bursaries to assist South African students.
Here is a list of bursaries applicable for Masters degree studies in 2026:
- Ada & Bertie Levenstein Bursary
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Bursaries
- African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) Bursary
- Africa Wetu Foundation Bursary
- Agbiz Centenary Bursary
- Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Bursary
- AIMS Google DeepMind Scholarship
- Aon Bursary
- Astron Energy Bursary
- AWS Skills Development Bursary
- BANKSETA / UKZN Outstanding Student Debt Fund
- Canon Collins Trust Mail & Guardian Scholarship
- Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship
- Canon Collins Scholarship for Economic Justice
- Canon Collins Sol Plaatje Scholarship
- Canon Collins Tom Queba Scholarship
- Canon Collins Trust & University of London Distance Learning Scholarships
- Cecil Renaud International Scholarship
- Cenfri Bursary
- CETA Thapelo Madibeng Bursary
- Council for Geoscience Bursary
- CPGR Bursary
- Critical Food Studies Postgraduate Scholarship
- CSIR Bursary
- David and Elaine Potter Fellowship
- Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) Bursary
- Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Bursary
- Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) Bursary
- Department of Tourism Bursary
- Doug Banks Renewable Energy Vision (DBREV) Scholarship
- DSI-CSIR Bursary
- DSI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarship
- Dudley D’Ewes Scholarship
- Embassy of France Scholarship
- Energy Mobility Education Trust Scholarship
- Erika Theron Trust Scholarship
- Ernst & Ethel Eriksen Trust Bursary
- FoodBev SETA Bursary
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program South Africa
- Gates Cambridge International Scholarship
- Genesis Educational Foundation Trust (GEFT) Bursary
- GreenMatter Fellowship PhD at UCT
- Guy Butler Research Award Scholarship
- Harry Crossley Foundation Research Fellowship
- HENSOLDT South Africa Bursary
- HWSETA Postgraduate Bursary
- Imfundo Enhle Education Trust Bursary
- Imperial Stellenbosch University Bursary
- John Davidson Educational Trust Bursary
- Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme
- KAS-SAIIA Scholarship
- MANCOSA Bursary
- Mastercard Foundation Scholarship
- MINDS Scholarship
- Mintek Bursary
- Mpumalanga Provincial Government Bursary
- Maize Trust Bursary
- Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarship
- Master Builders Association Western Cape (MBAWC) Bursary
- Meat Industry Trust (MIT) Bursary
- National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) Bursary
- NESP Scholarship
- Netflix Scholarship
- NMU / AIDC Postgraduate Bursary
- NRF Scholarship at UJ
- Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) Bursary
- Poliomyelitis Research Foundation Bursaries
- Potato Industry Development Trust Bursaries
- Quantum Foods Bursary
- Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS)
- Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) Bursary
- Rhodes Trust Scholarship
- SAAFoST Brian Koeppen Memorial Scholarship
- SA Cultivar & Technology Agency (SACTA) Bursary
- SACCCS Bursary
- SAMAC Bursary
- SAMRC Internship Scholarship
- SAMRC Scholarship
- SANBI Bursary
- SANBI Biological Invasion Bursary
- SANBI Joan Wrench Scholarship
- SANRAL Bursary
- SANSA Bursary
- SARAO Postgraduate Scholarship
- South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Scholarship
- Sasol Bursary
- Sasol Agriculture Trust Bursary
- Scatec Bursary
- South Africa International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) Bursary
- South African National Seed Organization (SANSOR) Bursary
- South African Road Federation (SARF) Bursary
- South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) Bursary
- Southern African Development Community (SADC) Scholarship
- SKA South Africa Bursaries
- Sorghum Trust Scholarship
- South African Association of Botanists Scholarship
- South African-German Centre for Development Research (SA-GER CDR) Scholarship
- South African Journal on Human Rights (SAJHR) Bursary
- Southern African Transport Conference (SATC) Bursary
- Stellenbosch University Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Scholarship
- TETA Scholarship at WMU
- Tiso Foundation Scholarship
- TFG Fellowship Bursary
- Toyota Tsusho Africa Bursary
- Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) Bursary
- UCT Archive and Public Culture Postgraduate Bursaries
- UCT International and Refugee Scholarship
- Umgeni Water Postgraduate Bursary
- Unisa Postgraduate Bursary
- University of Johannesburg W&RSETA Bursary
- UKZN College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science Bursary
- UKZN Ethekwini Maritime Cluster Bursary
- UKZN Mellon Spatial Humanities Scholarship
- UKZN Richard AD Turner Bursary
- UWC Faculty of Education Bursary
- WENOSA Scholarship
- Winter Cereal Trust Bursary
Check out bursaries for Honours Degree for 2026 in south africa
