SARAO Honours Scholarship bursary

Open for applications Closes 31 August 2026

Study fields: Computer Science and IT, Science

WHAT FIELDS OF STUDY DOES THE SARAO SCHOLARSHIP COVER?

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) is inviting students to apply for their Freestanding Honours Scholarship, for the 2027 academic year.

Bursaries will be awarded for BSc Honours studies, within the following fields:

  • Astronomy
  • Astrophysics
  • Computer Science
  • Mathematics
  • Physics

WHAT EXPENSES DOES THE SARAO SCHOLARSHIP COVER?

The scholarship will be awarded to the value of R190 000. Students may also apply for a once-off laptop grant of R15 000.

The scholarship will be awarded for 1 year of study. However, SARAO will provide 2 years of
funding to students who are accepted for the NASSP Extended Honours in Astronomy course.

 

WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE SARAO SCHOLARSHIP?

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):

  • You must be a South African citizen or a permanent resident OR a citizen of Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia or Zambia
  • You must have completed a BSc degree in 2025 or will be completing one in 2026, in one of the following fields:
    • Physics and Mathematics (up to third year level)
    • Astronomy/Astrophysics, with Physics and Mathematics up to at least second year level
    • Computer Science and Mathematics (up to third year level)
  • You must have achieved a minimum average of 65% in your BSc degree studies (if you are still studying, your application will be evaluated based on most recent university results)
  • You must be studying or intend on studying towards a BSc Honours degree, within one of the fields of study listed above
  • You must be studying or intend on studying at a recognised and accredited university in South Africa

HOW CAN I APPLY FOR THE SARAO SCHOLARSHIP?

Applications must be submitted online at: SARAO Scholarship Application 2027

  • Before applying, please read the scholarship SARAO Honours Scholarship Guidelines (.pdf) before applying.
  • Applicants must complete the Profile section first. From MY APPLICATIONS, select NRF Postgraduate Scholarships, then select SARAO Honours Scholarship.

WHAT DOCUMENTS MUST I SUBMIT FOR THE SARAO SCHOLARSHIP?

Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your online application (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):

  • ID document, if an SA citizen
  • Passport and permanent residence visa, if a permanent resident
  • University academic record, from the start of your degree until current and all other degrees completed to date (to be compiled into a single PDF Document)
  • Updated Curriculum Vitae
  • Motivational letter (see guidelines above for more information)
  • 2 letters of reference (1 must be written by a university lecturer) (see guidelines above for more information)

WHEN IS THE CLOSING DATE FOR THE SARAO SCHOLARSHIP?

31 August 2026.

(Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted – please apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)

HOW CAN I CONTACT THE SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDER?

For any queries related to this bursary programme, please contact the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) directly:

WHAT DOES THE SARAO DO?

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) is a national research facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF) that oversees South Africa’s radio astronomy infrastructure and programmes. It operates the world-renowned MeerKAT Radio Telescope in the Northern Cape’s Karoo region, manages the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) and its geodesy and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) activities, and leads South Africa’s participation in the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.

SARAO also coordinates the African VLBI Network (AVN) and supports scientific research, engineering innovation, and the development of future radio astronomy specialists across Africa.  

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