SANSA Bursary 2027, Requirements & Application

Key facts

Status: Applications open Closes 30 September 2026
Provider: SANSA
Field of study: Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Informatics and Information Systems
Study level: Postgraduate, Undergraduate
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: September 2026

Applications for the 2027 academic year are open and close on 30 September 2026.

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

Open · closes 30 September 2026 · 2 days left The funder does not publish this date on its own site, so confirm it before you rely on it. Latest update ↓

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) runs the country’s space science, earth observation, satellite operations and space engineering programmes from Hermanus, Pretoria and Hartebeesthoek. Its postgraduate bursary funds honours, Master’s and doctoral students in the STEM fields the space sector needs, and it is one of the better-paying postgraduate bursaries in the country.

About the SANSA Bursary

Honours: R150 000 a year.
Master’s: R160 000 a year.
Doctoral: R170 000 a year.
Fields: postgraduate STEM qualifications relevant to the space sector, including physics, space science, applied mathematics, remote sensing, geographic information systems, environmental science, computer engineering, and mechanical and electrical engineering.
Bursars are expected to pursue careers in the South African space sector.

SANSA Bursary eligibility requirements

South African citizen aged 32 or younger.
Registering for honours, Master’s or doctoral study in a relevant STEM field at a South African university in 2027.
At least a 65% overall average in the last year of study.
Strong academic potential, proven financial need and an interest in working in the space sector.

How to apply for the SANSA Bursary

Open the online application at sansa.org.za/bursaries/application.
Upload, in PDF: a certified ID not older than three months; your full university academic records from first year to date; an official funding statement or NSFAS letter for your undergraduate degree; a testimonial from an academic (Master’s and doctoral applicants); and a signed draft research proposal of no more than two pages for Master’s or four pages for doctoral study.
Submit before 30 September 2026. Missing documents lead to disqualification.

SANSA Bursary closing date

30 September 2026 for the 2027 academic year.

Contact details

Email: grants@sansa.org.za
Website: www.sansa.org.za

STEM postgraduates should also apply to the DSI-NRF postgraduate scholarship, the CSIR bursary and the iThemba LABS bursary.

FAQs

1. When does the SANSA bursary close for 2027? +

30 September 2026. Applications are online at sansa.org.za.

2. How much is it? +

R150 000 a year for honours, R160 000 for Master's and R170 000 for doctoral study.

3. Which fields? +

Postgraduate STEM qualifications relevant to the space sector, including physics, space science, applied mathematics, remote sensing, geographic information systems, environmental science, computer engineering, and mechanical and electrical engineering.

4. Who qualifies? +

South African postgraduate students aged 32 or younger with at least a 65% average in their last year of study, financial need and an interest in working in the space sector.

5. What documents are needed? +

A certified ID not older than three months, full university academic records from first year to date, a funding statement or NSFAS letter for the undergraduate degree, a testimonial from an academic for Master's and doctoral applicants, and a signed draft proposal of up to two pages (Master's) or four pages (doctoral).

6. What is SANSA? +

The South African National Space Agency, which runs the country's space science, earth observation, space operations and space engineering programmes from Hermanus, Pretoria and Hartebeesthoek.

Update note (checked September 2026): applications for the 2027 academic year are open and close on 30 September 2026. Incomplete applications are disqualified, so gather your documents before you start. We could not find this date on the funder’s own website on 22 September 2026. It comes from bursary listings, so confirm it on the official application page before you rely on it.

Checked the requirements and closing date? Apply directly with the provider.

Apply on the provider’s website

About SANSA

National public entity (space science and technology)

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) came into being in December 2010 to promote the use of space, strengthen cooperation in space activities, foster space science research, develop human capital and support the space technology industry. SANSA…

Read the full SANSA profile →

Student funding in numbers

2025811 011students funded by NSFAS580 000 at universities, 231 000 at TVET colleges, on a budget of R48.7 billion.

20261 026 091students approved for NSFAS funding609 403 first-year applicants qualified and 416 688 continuing students met the progression criteria, out of 893 847 applications.

2027 projectedR53.4bnbudgeted for NSFASThe allocation rises from R48.7 billion in 2025 to R51 billion in 2026 and R53.4 billion in 2027. Student numbers for 2027 are not published yet.

Figures from the Minister of Higher Education’s Budget Vote of 3 July 2025 and the NSFAS statement of 2 January 2026. NSFAS is the largest funder, not the only one – we track the rest.