DSI‑NRF Extension Support for Master's and Doctoral Studies for 2025
This grant provides extra funding for NRF-funded master’s and doctoral students in South Africa who need additional time to complete their research and thesis work.
Funder: National Research Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): August 2026 (Applicant closing date) | September 2026 (DA closing date) | October 2026 (Application closing date) | November 2026 (DA submission closing date)
Funding Amounts: Extension support at the same value as prior year: up to R182,836 (master’s) or R188,820 (doctoral) per annum (FCS); R126,836 (master’s) or R131,320 (doctoral) per annum (PCS); duration: 6 or 12 months.
Summary: Provides additional funding for NRF-funded master’s and doctoral students needing extra time to complete their degrees.
Key Information: Only current NRF scholarship-holders are eligible; extensions are granted under exceptional circumstances for 6 or 12 months.
Description
The DSI-NRF Extension Support for Master's and Doctoral Studies provides additional funding for current NRF-funded master's and doctoral students at South African public universities who require extra time to complete their degrees. This extension support is intended to help students finalize their research if they could not complete within the standard funding period, and is available for either six or twelve months under exceptional circumstances. The scheme is part of the NRF's broader commitment to supporting postgraduate research and throughput in all areas of Science, Engineering, Technology, Social Sciences, and Humanities.
