Verified
The Ernst & Ethel Eriksen Trust is a private educational trust based in Bryanston, Johannesburg. The Eriksen Trust funds South African students doing master’s and doctoral degrees, and it accepts applications in any field of research, from the sciences and engineering to the humanities.
- Registered name
- Ernst & Ethel Eriksen Trust
- Type
- Private educational trust
- Fields funded
- Master’s and doctoral study in any field of research
- Website
- eriksentrust.co.za
- eeetrust@eject.co.za
- Phone
- 083 459 1789
About this page’s research
The Eriksen Trust’s website reset the connection when BursariesAfrica tried to research this profile on 15 September 2026. The page draws on a provider record checked in August 2026 and on BursariesAfrica’s research into the trust’s 2027 application round. Confirm all details on the trust’s website or by email.
A trust with an open field of study
Most postgraduate funders restrict their awards to particular disciplines. The Eriksen Trust does not, which makes the trust valuable to students in fields that few funders support, such as history, languages or the social sciences. The Eriksen Trust aims to expand the pool of highly qualified postgraduates who contribute to South Africa’s research capacity.
The 2027 application window
The Eriksen Trust opens applications once a year, between August and September. Applications for the 2027 academic year opened on 1 August 2026 and close on 30 September 2026, and students apply through the trust’s online application process.
How to prepare a strong Eriksen application
Because the trust considers every field, applicants compete against strong candidates from very different disciplines. A clear research proposal that explains the question you want to answer, why it matters and how you will do the work helps assessors from outside your field understand your project.
Gather your academic transcripts, proof of registration or acceptance for your master’s or doctoral programme, and a supervisor’s letter of support before starting the online form. Email the trust if the website gives trouble, and keep proof of your submission.
Ask the trust whether the bursary can be combined with other funding, such as NRF scholarships or university awards, because many postgraduate students need more than one source of support.
Doctoral candidates in particular should explain their timeline, because assessors want confidence that the trust’s funding will help a student finish rather than extend a degree indefinitely.
See our Postgraduate Bursaries page for other research funders.
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