What SANSA 2027 Postgraduate Bursaries for STEM Students actually covers.
The South African National Space Agency's postgraduate bursary scheme is a targeted investment in the country's future space and STEM workforce, and it is open exclusively to South African students. SANSA leads the nation's space science and technology efforts, spanning Earth observation, space engineering, space operations and space science, and its bursaries support master's and doctoral candidates whose research aligns with these priorities. For talented South African graduates in physics, engineering, computer science, mathematics, geomatics and related disciplines, the award offers more than financial support: it connects recipients to a national research institution with real missions, satellite programmes and international partnerships. Bursars gain exposure to applied work that can shape a career in one of the continent's most advanced technical sectors. The scheme is designed to build local capacity, so successful applicants are expected to demonstrate both academic strength and a genuine interest in contributing to South Africa's space ambitions. Candidates should be enrolled, or intending to enrol, at a recognised South African university for postgraduate study. Because places are limited and competition among strong STEM graduates is high, applicants benefit from clearly articulating how their intended research supports SANSA's mandate. With a deadline at the end of September, prospective students have time to align their proposals, secure academic references and prepare a competitive application for this prestigious, mission-driven bursary.
Who can apply.
Open to masters, phd applicants seeking to study in South Africa.
Open to applicants from across the African continent. Confirm specific nationality eligibility on the official application page.
Every academic discipline is accepted.
This programme does not restrict by field. Research proposals across humanities, sciences, engineering, agriculture, and medicine are all accepted.
From here to submitted.
Scholar Africa helps you discover, shortlist, and track. The application itself is submitted on the provider's site.
-
Save itAdd this to your shortlist so we can recommend similar scholarships and remind you of the deadline.
-
Prepare your documentsMost providers ask for the same set — transcripts, references, a personal statement, ID. Use the checklist below to track progress across all your applications.
-
Apply on the provider's siteSubmit on the provider's site before September 30, 2026 · 86 days left.
-
Track the outcomeAdd to your tracker so you can update the status as the provider responds (shortlisted, interview, decision).
Document checklist
Checks are local to this device — they're not stored. Always confirm exact requirements on the provider's official application page.
What we checked, when we checked it.
Scholar Africa runs a link-liveness check on every listing before it goes live and an admin manually reviews every scholarship submitted by providers. SANSA 2027 Postgraduate Bursaries for STEM Students is awaiting manual review. Five deeper checks (contact, organisation, winners, third-party, formal audit) are on the roadmap.
Report an issue
Other scholarships worth a parallel application.
Same eligibility window or destination. Many strong applicants apply to three or four programmes per cycle.