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“Revitalising and Transforming the Academic Profession”

 

Are you planning to embark on a Master's degree study? Have you considered a career as an academic?
Then the Nurturing Emerging Scholars Programme (NESP) may be just for you!

The Department of Higher Education and Training is pleased to announce the implementation of Phase 2 of the Nurturing Emerging Scholars Programme (NESP).  The NESP is a three-year programme that includes a 2 year Master's scholarship followed immediately by a 1-year academic internship at a recruiting South African university. 

 

OPPORTUNITY 1: HONOURS

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 There are a total of 10 NESP positions available, and these positions come with scholarships specifically designed for Honours study at South African public universities.
This programme spans four years and includes a one-year- Honours program, followed by a two-year master’s scholarship, along with a one-year academic internship at the host South African university.
 To be eligible for any of these positions, the minimum requirement is a completed Level 7 qualification with a minimum of 65% average.  

To apply, please click on the position below. 

Closing date for applications: 7 November 2025

Successful applicants will be expected to start their studies at the beginning of the 2027 academic year.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology 

1.1 Sports Business and Technology

 

Rhodes University 

1.2  Linguistics and Applied Language Studies

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

1.3 Mathematics Graph Theory

 

Tshwane University of Technology

1.4 Building Science

1.5 Performing Arts

 

University of the Free State

1.6 Haematology

University of Kwazulu-Natal

1.7 Applied Mathematics 

1.8 Mathematics

 

Vaal University of Technology

1.9 Metallurgical Engineering / Mineral Processing

University of Venda

1.10 History

The following two opportunities are available 

OPPORTUNITY 2

French embassy

 

There are a total of 13 NESP positions that come with scholarships for master’s study at PUBLIC universities in France.
This opportunity is offered in partnership with the French Embassy. Scholars who are selected for this program will spend a two-year period of time studying in France then return to their host South African university to complete a one-year academic internship.
Minimum requirement for all positions is a completed appropriate Level 8 qualification attained with an average of 65%.
 

To apply, please click on the position below. 

Closing date for applications: 7 November 2025

Successful candidate will initially receive a provisional NESP scholarship, which is contingent upon their acceptance into a PUBLIC French university. To apply to universities offering master’s programmes in your field of interest, please visit the following link: : https://bit.ly/NESP_FRANCE . Additionally, we recommend that applicants consider applying to multiple public French universities to increase their chances of acceptance.
Don’t forget to register for a Zoom Webinar on this link, which is scheduled for Date and time on the website and TBC. You can access a recording of the session here

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

2.1 Electronique, Énergie, Électrique, Automotique: Mechatronics

2.2 Marine Science Physical-Oceanography

2.3 Nautical Science

2.4 Technology & Robotics

Central University of Technology

2.5 Physics

Durban University of Technology

2.6  Chemical Engineering (Green Energy)

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

2.7 Nanomedicine

2.8 Biostatistics

 

 

Tshwane University of Technology

2.9 Management Science (International Food & Beverage Management)

2.10 Nursing

 

University of Limpopo

2.11 Bioinformatics

 

Vaal University of Technology

2.12 Industrial Engineering

2.13 Mechanical Engineering

 

 

OPPORTUNITY 3

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 There are a total of 63 NESP positions available, each of which a scholarship for master’s study at South African public universities. Additionally, successful candidates will be required to complete a one-year academic internship at the host South African university.
 To be eligible for any of the NESP scholarships, the minimum requirement is a completed appropriate Level 7 (for NESP Honours scholarship) or Level 8 (NESP French and National scholarship) with a minimum 65% grade average.

 

To apply please click on the position below. 

Closing date for applications: 7 November 2025

Successful applicants will be expected to start their studies at the beginning of the 2027 academic year.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

3.1 Electronic Communication and Satellite Technology

3.2 Emergency Medical Aid

 

Central University of Technology

3.3 Agrometerology & Soil Science

3.4 Animal Science/ Pasture Science

 

 

Nelson Mandela University

3.5 Coding, Robotics& Artificial Intelligence

3.6 Criminal Justice

3.7 Mechatronics

 

Durban University of Technology

3.8 Accounting with a Focus on Women in Accounting

3.9 Information and Corporate Management

3.10 Video Technology with a Focus on Film & Television

3.12  Chemical Thermodynamics & Modelling Separation Process

Mangosuthu University of Technology

3.13 Agricultural Extension

3.14 Environmental Health Public Health

3.15 Mathematics

3.16 Mechanical Engineering

3.17 Analytical Chemistry

Rhodes University

3.18 Economic&s Finance (Financial Markets& Quantitative Economics)

North-West University

3.19 English

3.20 Physics (Electronics/Renewable Energy)

 

Sol Plaatjie University

3.21 Retail Business Management

3.22 Archeology

3.23 Creative Writing

Tshwane University of Technology

3.24 Conservation Management

3.25 Veterinary Epidemiology (Brucellosis Research Focus)

3.26 Metallurgical & Materials Engineering

3.27 Policing 

University of Cape Town

3.28 Palliative Care

University of Fort Hare

3.29 Human Rights Law

3.30 Language Education (Multilingualism)

University of KwaZulu-Natal

3.31 Water Resource Engineering

3.32 Climate Medicine Specialist & Epidemiology

3.33 Mechanical Engineering 

 3.34 Structural Engineering

3.35 Chemical Engineering

3.36 Electrical/Electronic/Computer Engineering

 

University of South Africa

3.37 Biomedical Engineering

3.38 Civil Engineering (2 positions)

 

 

University of the Free State

3.39 Industrial Psychology

3.40 Business Management with a Focus on Entrepreneurship Research

 

University of Limpopo

3.41 Applied Mathematics

3.42 Mathematics and Applied Mathematics

3.43 Virology

 

University of the Western Cape

3.44 Geography

3.45 Statistics (Data Science) 

3.46 Women & Gender Studies

University of Johannesburg

3.47 Food Technology

University of Pretoria 

3.48 Veterinary Tropical Diseases

3.49 Academic Pharmacology

3.50 Speech-Language Pathology

3.51 Engineering, Built Environment & IT (Urban Citizenship)

3.52 Civil Engineering (Geotechnical, Materials, Structural, Water, Transportation)

University of Venda 

3.53 Sociology 

3.54 Business Information Management

University of Mpumalanga

3.55 Gender Studies

3.56 Agricultural Extension & Rural Development

University of Zululand 

3.57 Early Childhood Education

3.58 Language Education: lsiZulu Language

3.59 Clinical Psychology

3.60 Physics

Walter Sisulu University

3.61 Medical Physics 

3.62 Space Science/ ULF Waves

3.63 Civil Engineering (Transport)