W&RSETA UJ Bursary 2027, Requirements & Application

Key facts

Status: Check with the provider
Provider: W&RSETA
Study level: University, Undergraduate, Postgraduate
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: September 2026

The bursary runs every year with two closing dates.

Reviewed & verified by Thabo MokoenaSenior Education EditorVerified

The Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA) funds a research chair in retail at the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Marketing Management. Through the Chair, W&RSETA and UJ award postgraduate bursaries to Master’s and PhD students researching the wholesale and retail sector, to build the academic expertise the industry needs.

About the W&RSETA UJ Bursary

The bursary funds full-time or part-time Master’s and doctoral research at UJ in the Chair’s focus areas:

Retail business management.
Retail marketing.
Wholesale and retail studies.
Wholesale business development.

It covers annual tuition and study fees, data collection costs and language editing of the final dissertation or thesis. Bursars present at the Chair’s seminars and may be offered tutoring or research assistant work.

W&RSETA UJ Bursary eligibility requirements

Master’s applicants must have:

An Honours degree in marketing or retailing with an overall average of at least 60%.
At least 60% for Research Methodology at NQF level 8.
An approved Master’s research proposal aligned with the focus areas.

PhD applicants must have:

A Master’s degree in marketing or retailing with an average of at least 65%.
At least 60% for Research Methodology at NQF level 8.
An approved doctoral proposal aligned with the focus areas.

Applicants must be South African citizens and must be accepted by UJ’s Department of Marketing Management.

How to apply for the W&RSETA UJ Bursary

New students: apply for admission to the Master’s or PhD through the UJ Department of Marketing Management and have your research proposal approved.
Email the approved proposal, a certified ID, your full academic record and a CV to wrseta@uj.ac.za with the subject line “WRSETA Postgraduate Bursary Application – Your Full Name” by 31 October.
Current students: download the renewal form from the Chair’s page on the UJ website, attach your latest progress report and email it to the same address by 31 July.

W&RSETA UJ Bursary closing dates

Current Master’s and PhD students: 31 July each year.
New Master’s and PhD enrolments: 31 October each year. For 2027 funding, 31 October 2026.

Contact details

Contact person: Sandile Maseko, W&RSETA Chair in Retail, UJ
Email: wrseta@uj.ac.za
UJ Department of Marketing Management, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus

Undergraduates in retail and marketing should look at W&RSETA’s national bursary and the funders on our commerce bursaries list; postgraduates in other fields should see our postgraduate bursaries page.

FAQs

1. When does the UJ W&RSETA bursary close? +

There are two closing dates each year: 31 July for current Master's and PhD students, and 31 October for new Master's and PhD enrolments. For funding in 2027, new students should apply by 31 October 2026.

2. Who qualifies for the Master's bursary? +

Graduates with an Honours degree in marketing or retailing, an overall average of at least 60%, and at least 60% for Research Methodology at NQF level 8, with an approved research proposal in the Chair's focus areas.

3. Who qualifies for the PhD bursary? +

Graduates with a Master's in marketing or retailing with an average of at least 65%, at least 60% for Research Methodology at NQF level 8, and an approved proposal.

4. What are the research focus areas? +

Retail business management, retail marketing, wholesale and retail studies, and wholesale business development.

5. What does it cover? +

Annual tuition and study fees, data collection costs and language editing of the dissertation or thesis.

6. How do I apply? +

New students apply through the UJ Department of Marketing Management, then email their approved proposal and documents to wrseta@uj.ac.za with the subject line 'WRSETA Postgraduate Bursary Application – Your Full Name'. Current students download the form and email it to the same address.

7. Is there an undergraduate option? +

Not through the Chair. W&RSETA funds undergraduates through its own national bursary scheme, which runs separately.

Update note (checked September 2026): the bursary runs every year with two closing dates. Current Master’s and PhD students apply by 31 July, and new Master’s and PhD enrolments apply by 31 October. New students who want funding for 2027 should apply by 31 October 2026.

About W&RSETA

Sector Education and Training Authority (wholesale and retail)

The Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA) was established in 2000 under the Skills Development Act. W&RSETA, a public entity headquartered in Centurion, exists to meet the skills needs of the wholesale and retail sector,…

Read the full W&RSETA profile →

Address: Riverside Office Park, Hennops House, 1303 Heuwel Avenue, Centurion, 0157
Phone: 012 622 9500
Website: wrseta.org.za