Objectives
The objectives for these postdoctoral fellowships supported by the NRF are listed below.
NRF Freestanding Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Increase the number and quality of Postdoctoral Research Fellows in South Africa
- Enable South African Postdoctoral Fellows to obtain international exposure
- Encourage outstanding international Postdoctoral Research Fellows to undertake research in South Africa
Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Leverage innovation in universities and the implementation of science and related skills development
- Expand transformation initiatives through equity and career growth opportunities for designated groups
- Enable young scientists and professionals to access world class strategic and applied research opportunities in a university environment and thereby strengthen their research profiles and consequently improve their prospects of permanent employment in the national system of innovation
- Attract young scientists and professionals of the highest calibre, in order to complement senior researchers’ influence on innovation through research
- Support young scientists and professionals in strategic, basic and applied research with the intention to promote innovation
Scarce Skills Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Increase the number and quality of South African postdoctoral researchers in specified scarce skills areas
- Increase the race and gender representation and, in conjunction with the higher education sector and industry, to support the development of research to meet specific needs of the country.
General eligibility criteria for all Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Applicants must have obtained their Doctoral degree within five (5) years of submitting an application to the NRF
- Applicants who are currently completing their Doctoral dissertation for submission may apply however, they should complete their Doctoral degree by 31 December 2020, as awards that are not taken up by 30 June 2021 will be cancelled by the NRF
- Full-time employees of Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) or other research institutions are only eligible to apply if they intend to take unpaid leave for the duration of the postdoctoral fellowship
- Applicants who are applying for a second NRF Postdoctoral research placement will be eligible if they intend undertaking research on a new project
- Applicants who are applying for a second NRF Postdoctoral research placement to continue with research on the same project are not eligible
- Applicants who are applying for a third NRF Postdoctoral research placement are not eligible.
NRF Freestanding Postdoctoral Fellowships in South Africa
- Fellowships are open to South African citizens and permanent residents as well as international candidates who intend to undertake research at a public research institution in South Africa
Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Fellowships are open to South African citizens or permanent residents and foreign citizens, from the African continent and other countries, intending to undertake postdoctoral research in South Africa
Scarce Skills Development Fund Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Fellowships are open to South African citizens and permanent residents only
For full details, or to apply, see the Application Framework Document.
