Closing Date: 13 January 2024
University of South Africa (Unisa): Postgraduate Bursary Programme 2024
UNISA is inviting students to apply for their Postgraduate bursary programme, for the 2024 academic year.
Fields of study
Bursaries will be awarded for ALL fields of study at UNISA, towards a Postgraduate (Diploma, Honours, Master’s, and Doctoral) qualification.
The Master’s and Doctoral bursary is committed to assisting students with their research activities and tuition fees, which will enable them to register for and complete their degree studies.
The Postgraduate Diploma and Honours bursary is committed to assisting Unisa alumni students with their tuition fees, which will enable them to register and complete their qualifications.
Bursaries are awarded based on candidates meeting eligibility criteria, academic performance, and availability of funds.
What the Bursary Covers
Postgraduate Diploma and Honours bursary:
- The bursary will provide cover for tuition fees only, for the first 2 consecutive years of study. The bursary will NOT cover any outstanding historic debt or failed/ repeating modules.
- Awarding of the bursary will be from the highest performing to the lowest performing student, dependent on availability of funds, based on the average calculation on the entire undergraduate qualification/ 3 Honours modules.
Master’s and Doctoral bursary:
The bursary will provide cover for the following expenses, for the first 2, 3 or 4 years of consecutive study:
- Master’s degree by research and experimental research: tuition fees and research essentials, capped at R55 000 over the first 3 consecutive years of study towards the qualification.
- Master’s degree by coursework: tuition fees and research essentials, capped at R25 000 over the first 2 consecutive years of study towards the qualification.
- Doctoral degree by research: tuition fees and research essentials, capped at R80 000 over the first 4 consecutive years of study towards the qualification.
- Doctoral degree by experimental research: tuition fees and research essentials, capped at R120 000 over the first 4 consecutive years of study towards the qualification.
Eligibility Requirements for the Bursary
Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):
Postgraduate Diploma and Honours Bursary:
- You must be a South African citizen
- You must have completed an undergraduate NQF level 7 qualification (degree or advance diploma) at UNISA, by no later than 31 January 2024
- You must be temporarily registered for registration to be activated once your application is successful
- You must have achieved a minimum overall average of 60% for your entire undergraduate qualification
- You must be a South African Postgraduate Diploma or Honours students in your 2nd year of study, and have passed at least 3 postgraduate modules in the same Postgraduate qualification
- You must NOT be a Graduate School of Business Leadership student, who is registered for a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management or a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management
- You must NOT be registered for special study programmes, including certificates (PGCE) and non-degree purpose programmes
- You must NOT already hold a postgraduate degree at the same or a higher NQF level to the qualification registered for
- You must NOT be a permanent staff member at Unisa
Master’s and Doctoral bursary:
- You must be a South African citizen or an international student, however preference will be given to South African students (in a 80/20 ratio)
- You must be temporarily registered for registration to be activated once your application is successful
- Master’s and Doctoral research students: you must have completed your Research Proposal module by no later than 31 January 2024 and must have a completed supervisor’s report that recommends financial support based on academic performance
- Master’s by coursework students: you must have passed 2 coursework modules by no later than 31 January 2024
- Master’s by coursework students: you must have passed all modules by no later than 31 January 2024, must be doing research, and must have a completed supervisor’s report that recommends financial support based on academic performance in the coursework modules completed
- You must NOT be a 1st year Master’s or Doctoral student
- You must NOT be registered for Masters of Business Administration and Masters of business Leadership
- You must NOT be registered for special study programmes, including certificates (e.g., PGCE) and non-degree purpose programmes
- You must NOT hold a postgraduate degree at the same or a higher NQF level to the qualification registered for
- You must NOT be a permanent staff member at Unisa
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online at: UNISA Postgraduate Bursary Application 2024
Applicants can find further instructions to apply here:
- UNISA Postgraduate Diploma and Honours Bursary Guide (.pdf)
- UNISA Master’s and Doctoral Bursary Guide (.pdf)
Note: applications submitted via email, post or hand delivery will NOT be accepted.
Notes about the Unisa Bursaries:
Postgraduate Diploma and Honours bursary notes:
- Applicants should read the UNISA Postgraduate Diploma and Honours Bursary Guidelines, T&C’s (.pdf) before applying.
- The bursary will NOT provide cover for any failed modules from your Postgraduate Diploma or Honours degree.
- Bursaries will be awarded subject to the availability of funds, and will be awarded to students from highest to the lowest performing.
- Bursaries will be awarded for 2 consecutive years of study only – recipients must reapply for the second year of funding, which will be granted based on the student maintaining a minimum average of 60%.
- Appeals can be submitted, along with your motivation, between 1 and 7 April 2024 – appeals must be submitted via email to the Postgraduate Bursaries Administration at: CGS-pgb@unisa.ac.za.
- Appeals will NOT be considered if there is insufficient funds available or the applicant has been a bursary beneficiary for the full years of the bursary.
- The bursary award will be cancelled if the recipient does not abide by the bursary conditions or terminates their studies.
Master’s and Doctoral bursary notes:
- Applicants should read the UNISA Master’s and Doctoral Bursary Guidelines, T&C’s (.pdf) before applying.
- The bursary will be awarded subject to submission of a satisfactory academic progress report from your supervisor(s) (Section C of the application form).
- Bursaries will be awarded for the first 2, 3 or 4 consecutive years of study – recipients must reapply for funding each year, which will be granted based on the student maintaining satisfactory academic progress.
- Bursaries will be awarded subject to the availability of funds.
- Appeals can be submitted, along with your motivation and supported or signed by the supervisor, between 1 and 7 May 2024 – appeals must be submitted via email to the Postgraduate Bursaries Administration at: CGS-pgb@unisa.ac.za.
- Appeals will NOT be considered if there is insufficient funds available or the applicant has been a bursary beneficiary for the full years of the bursary.
- The bursary award will be cancelled if the recipient does not abide by the bursary conditions or terminates their studies.
