Eligibility Criteria
- This bursary is available exclusively to postgraduate students registered for a full-time masters qualification - bursaries will not be awarded to part-time students. Students employed and earning a salary will be considered as part-time students as studies are not the primary activity.
- Household income less than R600 000 per annum
- Applicants must have achieved ≥ 70% for their most recent degree. For applicants who do not meet this requirement, faculty motivation must be submitted along with the other supporting documents.
- The bursary will cover tuition fees, as well as R95,000 for living cost allowances.
- Applicants must qualify for faculty and programme-specific admission requirements.
- Preference will be given to students studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields, with 65% of allocations to STEM and 35% to non-STEM study fields.
- Programs presented in the Business School are excluded (e.g. MBA, PhD).
- Applicants may not hold other full cost bursaries. Other bursaries will be deducted from the NWU allocation (no double-funding). The total bursary value may not exceed R120 000.
- SADC and permanent RSA residents (subject to submission of SAQA certificate)
List of SADC Countries
- Angola
- Botswana
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
- Eswatini (Swaziland)
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Tanzania (United Republic of Tanzania)
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Bursary Conditions
- Continued funding is subject to adherence to milestones set by faculties and evaluated every six months.
- Living-related allowances will be paid monthly.
- A publication in a peer-reviewed book or journal - or evidence of preparation towards submission of such publication journal, is a requirement.
- 20 hours of student assistantship per month is a requirement.
Application Form 2027
- All fields are compulsory.
- Carefully read the eligibility criteria and the bursary conditions before completing this form.
- Ensure that you complete and submit the Full Cost M&D checklist with your application.
Please ensure that each supporting document is uploaded under its corresponding document tab. For example, upload your ID copy under the ‘ID Copy’ tab, your academic record under the ‘Academic Record’ tab, and so forth. Documents uploaded under incorrect tabs may result in delays in processing your application.
Please note: The application form will be activated on 9 November 2026, when applications officially open.