CPUT Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Award

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Award is Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s (CPUT) own funding for top research students. It pays up to R100,000 a year for two years of a Master’s degree and up to R120,000 a year for three years of a Doctorate, straight into the student’s fee account. CPUT set it up because the Vice-Chancellor’s office kept receiving requests from strong students, and from staff on their behalf, to fund postgraduate study; donors now fund the award, which CPUT describes as a way to build the next generation of academics. It is awarded every year, and only students already registered at CPUT can apply.

Master’s and doctoral funding limits

These are ceilings, not fixed amounts. The award is designed to work alongside other funding: a student who already holds a bursary, for example from the National Research Foundation (NRF), receives only a top-up, and only if that bursary is smaller than the Vice-Chancellor’s award. The awards committee checks each holder’s progress every year, and CPUT says it watches award holders’ general conduct during the year and expects it to be exemplary.

The 75% bar and other conditions

According to the award page, applicants must:

• be registered for a Master’s or Doctoral degree at CPUT;
• have excellent results, which CPUT gives as 75% and above;
• have a proven track record of exceptional achievement and show potential to contribute to society;
• never have been found guilty of misconduct or unethical conduct at CPUT or in a court of law.

South African citizens are preferred, but the wording does not exclude others. Any false information disqualifies the application automatically. Apart from students who apply themselves, the Vice-Chancellor may suggest deserving candidates, who can then submit applications.

Six documents for the OPA application

Applications are accepted only online. Students log in to CPUT’s OPA portal with their CPUT credentials, open “Apply Awards App” in the left-hand menu, and choose “Apply for VC Awards”. The submission must include:

1. a motivation letter written by the applicant;
2. proof that the research topic has been accepted, for students in the first year of the qualification;
3. a progress report, for students in the second year or later;
4. results of the preceding qualification: the NQF level 8 qualification (such as an Honours degree) for Master’s applicants, or the Master’s for doctoral applicants;
5. a CV with contact details for all supervisors;
6. a confidential reference letter from the main supervisor, which the supervisor sends directly to the committee chairperson.

Because the supervisor’s letter travels separately, applicants should ask their supervisor well before the deadline. After shortlisting, the committee may ask for more information. Successful students sign a declaration accepting the award’s terms and conditions and are invited to an awards ceremony towards the end of the year.

The 2026 window, 1 March to 10 July

For 2026, CPUT accepted applications from 1 March to 10 July 2026. That window has closed. CPUT has not announced the dates for the next round. Students planning a Master’s or Doctorate at CPUT can see the programmes in the postgraduate prospectus. Our CPUT profile lists other funding tied to the university, the guide on applying for a bursary at CPUT covers its general financial aid, and our postgraduate bursaries list includes funders whose bursary could be topped up by this award.

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