South African Radio Astronomy Observatory
SARAO Honours Scholarship
Closes
31 August 2026
Value
R190 000 + R15 000 laptop grant
Level
BSc Honours
For
SA, SADC & SKA partner country citizens
Sector
Astronomy & Physical Sciences
Type
Scholarship
About this bursary
The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory provides the Freestanding Honours Scholarship for students entering BSc Honours degrees in 2027. SARAO is a facility of the National Research Foundation that manages major astronomical infrastructure like the MeerKAT telescope and South Africa's contribution to the Square Kilometre Array.
This funding opportunity supports students in quantitative science and computing disciplines who plan to pursue radio astronomy or related technical fields. It aims to develop qualified researchers and technical experts across Africa.
The standard funding duration is one year, but students enrolled in the NASSP Extended Honours in Astronomy course receive two years of funding.
Courses of study covered
What the bursary covers
Who can apply
You qualify if
- You must hold South African citizenship or permanent residency, or hold citizenship in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, or Zambia.
- You must have completed a BSc degree in 2025 or be on track to finish one in 2026.
- Your undergraduate degree must include major combinations in physics and maths to third year, astronomy/astrophysics with physics/maths to second year, or computer science and maths to third year.
- You need a minimum cumulative average of 65% across your undergraduate degree subjects.
- You must plan to enroll full-time in a qualifying BSc Honours program at an accredited South African university.
You do not qualify if
- Students with an undergraduate average below 65% will not be considered.
- Applicants studying at unaccredited or private higher education institutions are ineligible.
- Foreign nationals from outside the designated African partner nations cannot apply.
Documents you need to submit
- South African identity document or foreign passport with permanent residency visa
- Complete official academic records for all university years combined into one PDF
- Updated Curriculum Vitae
- Letter of motivation following SARAO guidelines
- Two references, including at least one academic reference from a university lecturer
Academic records must cover all completed qualifications and current coursework up to date.
How to apply
- 1Read the official SARAO Honours Scholarship Guidelines before starting your application.
- 2Visit the NRF Connect portal and complete or update your user profile.
- 3Navigate to My Applications, select NRF Postgraduate Scholarships, then choose SARAO Honours Scholarship.
- 4Fill in all required form sections and upload clear copies of all supporting documents.
- 5Indicate how you heard about the opportunity and submit your application before 31 August 2026.
Applications must be submitted electronically on the NRF Connect online portal.