Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship 2027: How to Apply

Key facts

Status: Applications closed Closed 21 August 2026
Provider: Canon Collins Trust
Study level: Postgraduate
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: September 2026

Stage 1 of the 2027 round closed on 21 August 2026 at 16:00 South African time.

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

Closed · applications closed on 21 August 2026 The trust opens the following year's round in the middle of the year, so watch canoncollins.org from June 2027. Latest update ↓

The Canon Collins Trust was founded to support the fight against apartheid and now funds postgraduate students across Southern Africa who work on justice, education and the humanities. Its RMTF scholarship, co-funded by the Ros Moger and Terry Furlong fund, is the trust’s main award for master’s and doctoral study at South African universities.

About the Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship

Value: R20 000 to R100 000 a year depending on your circumstances.
Duration: up to two years for a master’s and up to three years for a PhD, with the option of reapplying.
Fields: justice (including climate justice, law, economics and politics), education policy and practice, and the humanities (literature, history, anthropology and the arts).
Full-time, part-time and distance study all qualify, provided the university is in South Africa.

RMTF Scholarship eligibility requirements

A national of, or a recognised refugee in, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia or Zimbabwe, and ordinarily resident in one of those countries.
Applying to, or enrolled in, a master’s or PhD at a South African university.
A good honours degree (at least second class upper division) for master’s applicants, or a strong master’s for PhD applicants.
At least two years of active engagement in social justice work, and research that addresses a significant Southern African challenge. PhD applicants need an identified supervisor and a draft proposal.

How to apply for the RMTF Scholarship

Read the scholarship guidelines on canoncollins.org and open the online application.
Complete Stage 1 with your degree certificates, academic transcripts, CV and ID document.
Shortlisted applicants complete Stage 2, which asks for references and further detail on your research. Applications must be your own work; the trust disqualifies AI-generated submissions.

RMTF Scholarship closing date

21 August 2026 at 16:00 SAST for the 2027 academic year (closed). Expect August 2027 for the 2028 round.

Contact details

Email: scholarships@canoncollins.org
South Africa: 010 500 2303. United Kingdom: +44 20 8004 8362

The trust also runs the Tom Queba and Pegasys scholarship, the Leigh Day LLB scholarship and the Thekgo bursary for outstanding debt. See also the DSI-NRF postgraduate scholarship.

FAQs

1. When does the Canon Collins RMTF scholarship close for 2027? +

Stage 1 of the 2027 round closed on 21 August 2026 at 16:00 South African time. The trust opens the following year's round in mid-2027, so watch canoncollins.org from June 2027.

2. What is the RMTF scholarship? +

The Canon Collins Trust's main postgraduate scholarship for study in South Africa, co-funded by the Ros Moger and Terry Furlong (RMTF) fund, for master's and doctoral students working on Southern African social justice problems.

3. How much is it? +

R20 000 to R100 000 a year depending on your circumstances, for up to two years for a master's and up to three years for a PhD, with the option of reapplying.

4. Which fields? +

Justice, including climate justice, law, economics and politics; education policy and practice; and the humanities, including literature, history, anthropology and the arts.

5. Who qualifies? +

Nationals of, or recognised refugees in, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia or Zimbabwe, ordinarily resident in one of those countries, applying to or enrolled in a master's or PhD at a South African university. Master's applicants need a good honours degree (at least second class upper division) and PhD applicants a strong master's, plus at least two years of active social justice engagement. PhD applicants must have a supervisor and a draft proposal.

6. How do I apply? +

Online in two stages on the Canon Collins portal. Stage 1 asks for your degree certificates, transcripts, CV and ID; shortlisted applicants complete Stage 2. Full-time, part-time and distance study at a South African university all qualify.

Update note (checked September 2026): Stage 1 of the 2027 round closed on 21 August 2026 at 16:00 South African time. The trust opens the following year’s round in the middle of the year, so watch canoncollins.org from June 2027.

This round is not open right now. Check the provider’s own site for the next round.

Visit the provider’s website

About Canon Collins Trust

UK-registered educational trust

The Canon Collins Trust began as a legal defence fund. Canon John Collins, an Anglican priest at St Paul's Cathedral in London, raised money through Christian Action and the Defence and Aid Fund to pay for lawyers defending…

Read the full Canon Collins Trust profile →

Website: canoncollins.org