List of Postgraduate Funding Opportunities 2026 (Late Applications & Current Openings)

Key Takeaways: The Late Funding Landscape

The Bad News: Major funders like the NRF and Mandela Rhodes Foundation have already closed for the 2026 intake.

The Good News: Several SETAs and Government Departments open their funding windows in January 2026.

Urgent Deadlines: CETA (30 Jan) and DSAC (31 Jan) are currently accepting applications.

University Internal Funding: Your best chance now is “Block Grants” administered directly by your university’s financial aid office, not online.

Action: Apply for the opportunities below immediately.

If you are a postgraduate student registered for 2026 but have no funding, you are likely in a high-stress situation. Most “prestige” scholarships require you to apply a year in advance (e.g., applying in July 2025 for 2026).

However, not all funding works on this cycle.

Many Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and government departments wait for their new financial year budgets to be approved before opening applications. This creates a “Second Wave” of funding opportunities that appear in January and February.

Here is the definitive list of funding still available for the 2026 academic year.

1. Urgent: Closing January 2026

These are confirmed open windows. You have days to apply.

1. CETA Thapelo Madibeng Bursary

Closing Date: 30 January 2026
Level: Honours, Masters, PhD.
Fields: Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Quantity Surveying, and Urban Planning.
Value: Full Cost (Tuition, Books, Accommodation, Stipend).
How to Apply: Online via the CETA Indicium portal (check ceta.org.za).
Note: This is one of the richest bursaries for the built environment.

2. Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) Heritage Bursary

Closing Date: 31 January 2026
Level: Honours, Masters, PhD.
Fields: Heritage Studies, Museum Studies, Archives, Anthropology, Archaeology, Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
How to Apply: Usually via an online form on the DSAC website or emailed to the specific bursary administrator listed on the 2026 advert.
Tip: Do not apply if you are studying generic “Arts” (like Fine Art or Drama) unless it has a specific Heritage focus.

3. W&RSETA Bursary Scheme

Closing Date: Mid-January 2026 (Often extended to end-Jan).
Level: BTech, Honours, Masters, PhD.
Fields: Retail Management, Supply Chain, Logistics, Data Analytics (for Retail).
How to Apply: W&RSETA has moved to a system where Universities apply on your behalf.
Action: Go to your university’s Postgraduate Funding Office today and ask to be added to the “W&RSETA List.”

2. University-Specific Opportunities (Still Active)

While the general NRF call is closed, many universities have “Internal Merit Awards” or “Donor Funding” that is allocated in February/March.

University of Pretoria (UP)

Ruth First Education Trust: Open for Masters level. Closes 28 February 2026.
Department of Sport, Arts & Culture Scholarship: UP administers a block grant for this. Closes 31 January 2026.
Action: Visit the UP Funding Portal and filter by “External Bursaries.”

University of Cape Town (UCT)

Departmental Scholarships: Many individual departments (e.g., Law, Oceanography) have internal funds that they allocate to accepted students in February.
Action: Email your Department Head or Supervisor directly. Ask: “Are there any departmental fellowships or research assistantships available for late registration?”

Stellenbosch University (SU)

Late Applications: The main postgraduate funding cycle closed in November 2025. However, SU often advertises “Statutory Body” funding (like the Medical Research Council) in early 2026.
Action: Monitor the “Postgraduate Funding Office” noticeboard on the SU website daily.

UNISA

Status: The main 2026 bursary application closed in December 2025.
The “Appeal” Window: UNISA typically opens an appeal window in May 2026. If you applied and were rejected, this is your second chance.
Research Funds: If you are a Masters/PhD student, ask your supervisor about “M&D Research Activity” funds, which are separate from tuition bursaries.

3. The “University-Administered” Route (Hidden Funding)

This is the most important secret for late funding.

Many organizations (like ETDP SETA, FoodBev SETA, FASSET) do not want to handle 10,000 individual applications. Instead, they give a lump sum (e.g., R5 million) to a university and say: “You select the students.”

These bursaries never appear on the internet. They sit in a spreadsheet in your university’s Financial Aid Office.

How to find them:

Go to your Financial Aid Office physically (or email the Postgraduate Officer).
Do not ask: “Are there any bursaries?” (They will just say check the website).
Ask specifically: “Are there any SETA or Block Grant lists currently open for [Your Faculty] that I can be added to?”
Bring your CV and Academic Record with you.

4. International Scholarships (Opening Soon for 2027)

If you cannot find funding for 2026, you should start applying now for 2027 international opportunities.

Canon Collins Trust: Usually opens in June/July for the following year. Focuses on Justice, Education, and Humanities.
Chevening (UK): Opens August 2026 for the 2027 intake.
Fulbright (USA): Opens February/March 2026 for the 2027 intake.

5. Funding for “Gap Year” / Internship

If you absolutely cannot afford fees this year, consider pausing your degree to do a funded Internship that pays for next year’s study.

NRF Internships: The NRF places unemployed graduates in research institutions. Applications often open in September, but sometimes there are “unfilled posts” advertised in February/March on the NRF website.
SAMRC Internships: The SA Medical Research Council often recruits interns early in the year.

Summary Checklist for the Unfunded

Check the CETA and DSAC websites immediately (Deadlines: 30/31 Jan).
Contact your Supervisor: Ask if they have “Research Running Costs” that can be used to pay you a small stipend for data collection.
Visit Financial Aid: Ask about “SETA Block Grants.”
NRF Honours (Semester 2): Sometimes the NRF opens a special call for Honours students starting in the second semester. Keep an eye on the NRF portal in May/June.

Do not de-register yet. Funding often gets reshuffled in February/March when funded students drop out, opening up spots for those on the waiting list. Stay visible to your department.

Disclaimer: Funding windows are volatile. Deadlines listed are based on the latest available 2026 calls but can close early if caps are reached.