UCT International & Refugee Scholarship: Requirements and Online Application

According to the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Postgraduate Funding Office, the call for applications for the 2026 UCT International and Refugee Scholarships will not open due to current funding constraints.

UCT encourages prospective international and refugee postgraduate students to source other means of funding.

The UCT International and Refugee Scholarship was a highly competitive, merit-based award designed to support postgraduate students who are not South African citizens.

The focus of the scholarship was:

1. Level of Study: Strictly Postgraduate (Honours, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees).
2. Study Mode: Must be for full-time study in any discipline at UCT.
3. Nature of Award: The scholarships are generally supplementary awards that contribute towards the cost of attendance. Applicants must have other means of funding, as the scholarship is not full-cost.

UCT International & Refugee Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

When the scholarship is offered, applicants must strictly meet the following criteria:

1. You must hold International status with a valid passport OR Refugee status with valid refugee papers in South Africa.
2. You must have applied for and been accepted (or provisionally accepted) for full-time admission to a postgraduate degree at UCT.
3. You must be pursuing your first qualification at the specific postgraduate level (e.g., funding is not awarded for a second Master’s degree).
4. You must demonstrate strong academic merit, typically having achieved a minimum of 55% or higher for major subjects in your preceding degree.
5. You cannot be full-time employed (working more than 20 hours per week) while holding the scholarship.
6. You cannot apply for funding for:
   • Undergraduate degrees (including 4th, 5th year Bachelor’s, LLB).
   • Postgraduate Diplomas or Certificates.
   • Degrees with less than 33% research component (for Master’s/Doctoral).

UCT International & Refugee Scholarship Value and Tenure

The value and duration of the award are based on the level of study:

1. Honours: Approx. R25,000 per year (renewable for 1 year).
2. Master’s: Approx. R30,000 per year (renewable for 2 years).
3. Doctoral: Approx. R35,000 per year (renewable for 3 years).

UCT International & Refugee Scholarship Application Process

When the application is open, the process is centralised through the UCT Postgraduate Funding Office (PGFO).

1. Download the official UCT International and Refugee Scholarship Application Form from the UCT website (usually made available around July/August).
2. Complete the form fully, indicating your International or Refugee status.
3. Attach all required certified copies of supporting documents.
4. Compulsory certified documents include your Passport or Refugee Papers and Transcripts of ALL previous institutions.
5. For Master’s and Doctoral applicants, submit a one-page abstract of your proposed research.
6. Arrange for two academic referee reports to be submitted by academics who have taught or supervised you.
7. Submit the complete application and all documents as one PDF via email to the PGFO address (e.g., pgfunding@uct.ac.za).

Alternatives for the UCT International & Refugee Scholarship

Since the UCT scholarship is closed for 2026, you can consider the following alternative funding opportunities for international and refugee students:

1. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (UCT): This is a full-cost scholarship for African students (including refugees) who have a strong commitment to service and leadership. It covers tuition, accommodation, travel, and a stipend. You must apply separately through the Mastercard Foundation Program at UCT.
2. DAAD In-Country/In-Region Scholarship: These scholarships often support African students (including refugees) for Master’s and PhD studies in Sub-Saharan Africa. UCT is a partner institution for some of these programmes, especially in development-related fields.
3. HCI Foundation Bursary: This programme accepts applications from South African citizens, refugees, and asylum seekers for Honours and Postgraduate Diploma studies at public universities, provided the family income criteria are met.
4. Departmental/Faculty Funding: Contact your prospective Department Head or Supervisor at UCT, as they may have ring-fenced research funding or other smaller scholarships for international or refugee students tied to specific projects.
5. UNHCR/DAFI Scholarship: The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative Fund (DAFI) is a global programme that assists refugee students in pursuing higher education. While it mainly targets undergraduate study, it is a big resource for refugees in South Africa.

UCT International & Refugee Scholarship Contact Details

For any queries regarding alternative funding or the status of the UCT PGFO scholarships:

• Telephone Number: 021 650 3622
• Email Address: pgfunding@uct.ac.za

FAQs