Scarbrow Bursary Fund 2026/27
The Scarbrow Bursary Fund 2026/27 invites eligible current UCT students and recent UCT graduates to apply for a contribution towards overseas postgraduate study in 2026/27. Applications must reach UCT’s Postgraduate Funding Office by 31 October 2026.
The fund supports master’s or doctoral study at recognised universities in Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States or Canada. Applicants must be registered or planning to register at an eligible overseas institution.
Scarbrow Bursary Fund 2026: a contribution, not full funding
The award value is determined by UCT’s Postgraduate Studies Funding Committee, taking account of funding already secured. The fund explicitly cannot cover the full cost of attending an overseas university.
Support is once-off and non-renewable. It can be awarded during the first or second year of a master’s degree, or the first, second or third year of a doctorate. For a master’s upgraded to a doctorate, the document permits an award within years one to four. These tenure limits cannot be extended.
Build your application around the actual gap in your funding plan. As practical advice, keep confirmed awards, personal resources and pending applications separate so that neither you nor a reviewer mistakes a possible source of money for one already secured.
Documents and financial evidence
The official pack calls for its application form, an application letter, CV, academic transcripts, an abbreviated research proposal, overseas acceptance or registration evidence, academic references, institutional fee and residence-cost information, and a budget showing all income and the shortfall.
The form must be completed and signed. The abbreviated research proposal must be no longer than two A4 pages and signed by you and your supervisor. The checklist also requests a completion work-plan, a supervisor progress report if already enrolled, and quotations supporting the cost calculations. UCT graduates should include unofficial transcripts; certificates do not replace transcripts.
Read the complete form carefully. Its CV instructions differ: one section says one A4 page while other sections allow two. A one-page CV meets both limits. The main instructions request two academic reference letters; prepare two and ask the funding office if you need clarification about the shorter checklist wording. Do not silently rely on the least demanding instruction.
The budget section asks for the exchange rate and its date, the source link, foreign-currency costs, rand calculations and supporting quotations. Use the same rate consistently when comparing the total required with confirmed funding.
How to submit
Download the official Scarbrow notice, form and checklist. Combine the application documents into one PDF in checklist order and send it to fellowships@uct.ac.za by 31 October 2026. References may be sent directly by academics using the subject instructions in the form. The notice gives no closing hour.
Frequently asked questions
Is this open to every South African graduate?
No. Current UCT student or recent UCT graduate status is required.
Can I renew the bursary next year?
No. This is a once-off award.
Will an eligible application guarantee funding?
No. Funds are limited, and UCT reserves the right to make no award.
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