Honours Bursaries

• The bursary is valid only once during the first year of a full-time Honours degree and must be utilised within a grace period of one year for the completion of the degree.
• An amount of R25,100 per year is awarded for both scarce and non-scarce skills courses. Note that the minimum academic average required to qualify for the Honours Bursary differs for scarce and non-scarce skills programs. Refer to the summary below for details.
• Eligibility is limited to students registered for a full-time prescribed Honours degree, including Postgraduate Diplomas and PGCE. Part-time students, occasional students, and working students are not eligible. Working students are defined as those employed, earning a salary, and for whom work is their primary activity.
• Students with bursaries from Statutory Councils (e.g., NRF, SETA) or other external institutions may qualify for a top-up Honours Bursary. The combined funding cannot exceed R188,000 per annum. The University reserves the right to adjust or cancel the Honours Bursary if this limit is exceeded. Note that the limit is subject to change for 2025.
• The bursary amount must be repaid if the student fails to comply with any of the following conditions:
  • Terminates their studies.
  • Fails to complete the course within the prescribed period.

Scarce Skills Progammes

To qualify, applicants must have achieved a minimum average of 65% in the final year modules of the preceding, completed degree.

Non-Scarce Skills Programmes

To qualify, applicants must have achieved a minimum average of 70% in the final year modules of the preceding qualifying degree.

NWU Masters Bursaries

• This bursary is available exclusively to postgraduate students registered for a full prescribed master’s degree.
• Applicants must have achieved a minimum average of 60% for all modules/subjects in their preceding, completed Honours degree.
• Students with a completed four-year B-degree (e.g., BEng, LLB, BPharm, MMus, or BA in Town and Regional Planning) also qualify.
• Part-time and working students (those employed, earning a salary, and for whom work is their primary activity) may qualify for a 50% allocation of the NWU Postgraduate Bursary.
• Full-time students are eligible for R31,400 per year, with a total value of R62,800 over two years.
• Students completing their dissertation in the third year of uninterrupted studies may qualify for a 1-Year Extra Grant of R31,400. This additional bursary is available only to students who previously received the NWU Postgraduate Bursary without interruption.
• Master’s students may receive funding from multiple sources, but the total bursary amount may not exceed R261,900 per annum. The University reserves the right to cancel or adjust the Master’s Bursary if this limit is exceeded. Note that the limit is subject to change for 2025.
• The bursary amount must be repaid if a student:
  • Terminates their studies.
  • Fails to complete the degree within the prescribed period.
• Bursary holders must complete the master’s degree within a minimum grace period of three (3) years.

NWU Doctoral Bursaries

• This bursary is available exclusively to postgraduate students registered for a fully prescribed Doctoral degree.
• Applicants must have achieved a minimum average of 60% in all modules/subjects of their preceding, completed master’s degree.
• Part-time students and working students (defined as those employed, earning a salary, and whose primary activity is work) may apply for a 50% allocation of the NWU Postgraduate Bursary.
• Full-time students are eligible for R34,000 per year, with a total value of R102,000 over five years.
• Students submitting their thesis in the fourth year of uninterrupted studies may qualify for a 1-Year Extra Grant of R34,000.
• Master’s students who immediately enroll in Doctoral studies after completing their master’s degree will have R31,400 carried over to their first year of Doctoral studies. If they do not enroll, the carried-over amount remains only R31,400.
• Doctoral students may receive funding from multiple sources, but the total combined bursary amount may not exceed R327,400 per annum. The University reserves the right to adjust or cancel the Doctoral Bursary if this limit is exceeded. Note that the limit is subject to change for 2025.
• The bursary amount must be repaid if a student:

• Terminates their studies.
• Fails to complete the degree within the prescribed period.

• Bursary holders must complete the Doctoral degree within a grace period of five (5) years.

NWU Postgraduate Merits

• Applicants must have completed their preceding qualifying degree with an average of 75% (Cum Laude) to qualify.
• Bursary holders must complete their postgraduate degree within the minimum grace period stipulated by the NWU Postgraduate Bursary Scheme.
• The bursary will be awarded only once, during the first year of the postgraduate program.

• The bursary amount must be repaid if a student:

• Terminates their studies.
• Fails to complete the degree within the prescribed period.