Doctoral Funding

About Doctoral Funding

The Doctoral degree at UJ develops the intellectual, research and professional skills of the student. At UJ we provide doctoral programmes that are intense, challenging and stimulating within a heightened learning environment, thereby creating an intellectually rewarding experience. UJ Doctoral graduates are recognised experts who have made distinctive contributions in their fields.

The Postgraduate School (PGS) provides support to the University of Johannesburg’s Doctoral students. This is done through the Postgraduate Funding Management (PFM) area. PFM is responsible for communicating the various postgraduate funding options made available at UJ for Doctoral level of study.

Doctoral students are funded from internal and external funds in order for them to successfully complete their qualifications. Scholarships that are offered under internal funding are categorized as Global Excellence Stature with the research focus on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and URC funds. URC funds have various sub-categories and are listed as UJ-Commonwealth, URC International, Supervisor-Linked (SLB) bursaries and Special URC. SLB bursaries are available for both the part-time and full-time students.

PFM has embarked on reaching our success plan by increasing number of postgraduate students. Funding for doctoral students are crucial to the university’s goals, hence external funders are assisting the university in reaching these goals. External funders are National Research Foundation (NRF), Department of Science and Innovation and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (DSI-CSIR), Duke CE, Organisation for Women in Science (OWSD) and various Sector of Education and Training Authority (SETA) organisations. Students can only apply when the call for these scholarships is out.

Postgraduate Funding Opportunities brochure click here

Ernst & Ethel Ericksen Trust bursary applications for Masters and Doctoral are open 2024

The Ernst & Ethel Ericksen Trust was established by Ethel Eriksen in the early 1980s. The trust provides study grants to students doing postgraduate studies and has enabled scholars from all walks of life to fulfill their dreams, and in so doing benefit South Africa.

Requirements:
-The student must be a South African citizen.
-Study must be at a South African university.
-Students must have completed their honours in order to apply.

Application Process:
-Applications are for a study grant for the following academic year.
-All bursaries are granted for one year only. Applicants must reapply for each successive year.
-All applications must be submitted online.
-Once submitted, the application is checked to ensure all required information has been provided. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
-The applications are submitted to the Board of Trustees of the Ernst and Ethel Eriksen Trust.
-Applicants are informed of the status of their application towards the end of December.
-The amount awarded will not exceed R20 000 for the proposed year of study.
-Payment of study grants for those successful applicants is made directly to the university where the applicant has indicated they will be studying.

Closing date: 30 September 2023

Please visit the website www.eriksentrust.co.za for the online application form and relevant information regarding the application.

NRF Doctoral Scholarship for the 2024 Academic Year

• South African citizens, Permanent Residents, and non-South African students.
• A minimum academic average of 65% is required for all subjects at the Master’s level.
• Applicants must be 32 years of age or younger in the year of application i.e. applicants must not be over 32 years by 31 December 2023.
• Applicants who already hold a PhD degree can’t apply for PhD funding.
• Duration of support: Three years calculated from the first year of registration for the study.
• Allowance: Full Cost of Study R182,318 and Partial Cost of Study R107,318.

Applicants are advised to discuss the originality and potential impact of their studies with their potential supervisor.

Applicants must apply on the NRF Connect website at: https://nrfconnect.nrf.ac.za. No manual applications will be accepted.
For manuals and tutorials on how to use the system are available on the NRF website at:
NRF Connect Documents – National Research Foundation.

Application and Funding Guide click here
Framework click here
Frequently Asked Questions click here

Institutional Contact Person

For further inquiries and assistance, please visit our office at the Postgraduate School, Akanya Building, Apk Campus or contact us:

Mr. Thabiso Masango                        Mr. Boitumelo Mokoena                           Mr. Ntokozo Manana
011 559 3287                                        011 559 7208                                                011 559 4530
Email: thabisom@uj.ac.za                Email: bjmokoena@uj.ac.za                      Email: nmanana@uj.ac.za

Closing Dates:
First-time General Doctoral Scholarships –   11 July 2023