South Africa must strive to increase its science and engineering graduates to provide the needed human resources to help achieve its national development goals. In a bid to achieve this, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) provides post-graduate degree bursaries to contribute to the national target for qualified post-graduates in science and engineering fields.
Scope of the projects:
Space Science (Hons, MSc, MPhil, PhD)
- Solar physics and space weather forecasting;
- Antarctic radar studies of atmospheric gravity waves;
- Multi-instrument studies of space weather;
- Modelling geomagnetically induced currents in power systems;
- Multiscale ionospheric physics, structure and dynamics;
- Ionospheric and radio propagation modelling;
- Theory of waves and solutions in plasmas;
- Atmospheric radiation studies; and
- Verification of space weather forecasting.
Earth Observation (Hons, MSc, PhD)
- Remote sensing;
- Geospatial programming;
- Earth system science with remote sensing;
- Earth observations in ecosystems accounting; and
- Applications of remote sensing in environmental management including oceans and marine, agriculture and rangelands, water resource management, mineral resource and spatial planning.
Engineering (MEng, MTech, MSc, PHD, DTech)
- Software and software systems engineering;
- Aeronautical, aerospace, mechanical, electrical, electronic, mechatronics and computer engineering; and
- Space, systems, antenna and RF engineering.
All SANSA divisions (Hons, MSc, PhD)
- Computer Science;
- Information systems;
- Software and systems engineering;
- Data science; and
- Field of choice related to key SANSA objectives.
To apply for any of these programmes, kindly check here.
Bursary criteria
The main criteria used in selecting successful applicants are financial need, academic potential and career-oriented study programmes.
Please note the following:
- An application will only be considered if it has been completed correctly and in full;
- Documents that accompany the application form must be uploaded and certified;
- The testimonial form must be completed by the supervisor and uploaded to the application form.
The successful applicants for the 2022 academic year will receive bursaries with values as stated below:
- Hons – R90 000 (USD 6,260) (one year);
- Masters – R100 000 (USD 6,952) per year for two years; and
- PhD – R130 000 (USD 9,037) per year for three years.
Applicants may not hold a combination of bursaries that exceed these amounts. However, should an applicant have another bursary of a lesser amount, SANSA will consider providing a top-up payment if the student meets the criteria mentioned above.
Support for continuing years is not guaranteed and will depend on satisfactory progress during the previous year. The completed application must be submitted no later than 30 September 2021 if you want to be considered for a bursary in 2022.
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