School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand

29/05/2026

🎓 Reminder: Students planning to pursue Honours, Masters, or Doctoral studies in 2027 are encouraged to complete the NITheCS Pre-Call Form by 31 May 2026 to register their interest in funding opportunities and apply for NRF postgraduate funding.
https://mailchi.mp/nithecs/nrf-funding-2027

29/05/2026

28/05/2026

NRF Postgrad FAQ Series 11/12 | Applicants must ensure that they understand their responsibilities concerning their application.

This includes reading ALL of the prescribed documents and ensuring that the application is complete, correct and received by the university within their internal deadline.

IMPORTANT: Applications submitted without supervisor support will be deemed ineligible.

Please also keep an eye on your email for any communication from your university’s NRF Designated Authorities.

Please consult the NRF’s funding call documents in detail before posting queries or attempting an application: https://www.nrf.ac.za/dsti-nrf-postgraduate-student-funding-for-the-2027-academic-year/

27/05/2026

[Training Opportunity]

Skills development opportunity for African science students interested in gaining practical experience in radio astronomy interferometry, data reduction and data analysis techniques.

The workshop will be hosted by Unisa - The University of South Africa from 7 - 11 September 2026.

Limited travel support available for participants.

Apply as soon as possible to secure a place at this Radio Astronomy Advancement Programme (RAAP) workshop.

Deadline for applications: 13 June 2026

27/05/2026

We are laser-focused on affordable HIV diagnostics for Africa, using signal-booster nanoparticles and technology

In 2026, and Cairo University began developing an innovative -based sensor designed to quickly, affordably and efficiently detect and quantify , without the need for prolonged and expensive laboratory processes. The project builds on pan-African laser and science supported by the CSIR for more than 20 years: experienced CSIR biophotonics researchers and Cairo University's National Institute of Laser Enhanced Science are confident they can develop an optical biosensor to detect the precise chemical fingerprint of viral targets.

🔗 Find out more about our : www.csir.co.za/media-hub/news/we-are-laser-focused-on-affordable-hiv-diagnostics-for-africa

🌍 25 May 2026 was ! Join us every day this week as we celebrate by highlighting stories about our research, technology and innovation work with partners across the continent.

27/05/2026

27/05/2026

🚨 Last chance: Apply to be our SKA-Mid Head of Science Operations
in South Africa! 🇿🇦

Applications close Sunday 31 May 2026: https://loom.ly/QdFdZyA

What this role looks like:

📡 Joining a fantastic, distributed team to deliver a world-class science programme
🙋 Leading SKA-Mid Science Operations, and growing a talented team of operations scientists, telescope operators and data analysts
🤩 Working closely with colleagues in South Africa, Australia and the UK
🌄 Living in beautiful Cape Town
💫 Having time allocated for personal scientific research

If you're an inclusive and collaborative leader with operational and scientific experience, we want to hear from you!

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory - SARAO, National Research Foundation

27/05/2026

Do you know of an up-and-coming researcher who stands head and shoulders above their peers?

The Research Excellence Award for Next Generation Researchers recognises NRF-funded doctoral students who demonstrate strong research performance, innovation, originality, and national or global relevance in their research fields.

The Research Excellence Award for Early Career / Emerging Researchers recognises NRF grant holders whose research outputs demonstrate outstanding research performance and contribution to research excellence.

Nominations for the NRF Awards 2026 are currently open.
Details here: https://www.nrf.ac.za/call-for-nominations-2026-nrf-awards/

27/05/2026

NRF Postgrad FAQ Series 10/12 | In the previous snippet, we mentioned that an applicant’s financial need is one of the considerations for Full Cost of Study.

The NRF will identify students who have previously been assessed as financially needy by NSFAS or ISFAP. In addition, students who have not undergone a financial need test will be subjected to a Household Financial Means Test by the NRF in partnership with ISFAP.

A financial means test is conducted annually by 01 September.
Only students who complete the consent form and provide the requested information will be subjected to a Household Financial Means Test by the NRF.

IMPORTANT: Please refer to the FAQ and Framework documents on our website for a detailed explanation of the financial means test, as well as the documents required from previous NSFAS/ISFAP-funded students: https://www.nrf.ac.za/dsti-nrf-postgraduate-student-funding-for-the-2027-academic-year/

Tomorrow, we will look at the responsibilities of NRF applicants.