The DAAD-NRF Joint Scholarship Programme is a collaboration between the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa.
This initiative aims to strengthen higher education systems across Sub-Saharan Africa by providing funding opportunities for master’s and PhD degrees at South African universities.
Objective
The programme seeks to:
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Strengthen postgraduate education and enhance research quality in South Africa.
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Support the development of highly qualified academics and professionals.
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Foster international collaboration between South African and German higher education institutions.
Eligibility criteria
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Applicants must be South African citizens or permanent residents.
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Candidates should demonstrate strong academic performance and research potential.
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The programme supports a wide range of disciplines, including science, technology, social sciences, and humanities.
Benefits
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ZAR 80,000 per annum for master’s students and ZAR 110,000 per annum for PhD candidates.
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Full coverage of tuition and university registration fees.
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Study and research support, as well as thesis publishing costs.
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Coverage for the entire duration of the study period.
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Potential support for PhD candidates to conduct part of their research in Germany.
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Opportunities for collaboration between South African and German higher education institutions.
Application requirements
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Online application: Submit applications through the NRF application platform.
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Supporting documents: Include academic transcripts, a detailed research proposal and reference letters.
Deadline
The closing date for the DAAD-NRF Joint Scholarship Programme South Africa 2026 is November 27, 2025. Visit https://daad.de/go/en/stipa10000279 to apply.
Discover more scholarships on our Opportunities page.
Summary not available at this time.