SACTA Bursary

Who can apply

• You must be a South African citizen
• You must have completed Matric
• You must be studying or intend on studying full-time towards a Honours, Masters or Doctoral qualification relevant to the South African breeding and technology industry
• You must be studying or enrolled to study at a recognised and accredited tertiary institution
• You must NOT be in receipt of any other funding or bursary awards (unless agreed to by the Trust)
• You must intend on conducting a dissertation/ thesis on a topic that has been approved by the Trust
• You must be willing to work within the South African agricultural industry after completing your studies
• You must have read and agreed to all of the SACTA Bursary condition, policies and procedures
• You must agree to the terms of the Legal Undertaking (Section E) on the application form

How to apply

Applications are submitted directly to SACTA - we do not collect applications. Read the eligibility criteria, prepare your supporting documents, then complete your application on the official page.

Full details

SACTA Bursary South Africa 2027

WHAT FIELDS OF STUDY DOES THE SACTA BURSARY COVER?

The SA Cultivar & Technology Agency (SACTA) is inviting students to apply for their bursary programme, for the 2027 academic year.

Bursaries will be awarded for Postgraduate (Honours, Masters and Doctoral) studies, within fields of study that are relevant to the grain and oilseeds breeding and technology industry. Fields of study may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Agronomy
• Agricultural Economics
• Agricultural Engineering
• Agricultural Meteorology
• Agricultural Writers
• Biometry
• Conservation Agriculture
• Data Science
• Demand Planner
• Food Sciences (relevant to the crop industry)
• Livestock Science
• Molecular Biology
• Pasture Science
• Plant Biochemistry
• Plant Breeding
• Plant Entomology
• Plant Nematology
• Plant Pathology
• Plant Physiology
• Plant Virology
• Precision Agriculture
• Seed Applied Technologies
• Soil Microbiology
• Soil Science
• Weed Science
• other related field

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE SACTA TRUST BURSARY?

The value of the bursary will depend on the level of study:

• Masters by Dissertation students will receive funding up to R99 750 per annum, for 2 years.
• PhD/ Doctoral Research students will receive funding up to R131 250 per annum for 3 years.

Bursary funds will be paid out according to the submitted and approved progress reports by the bursary recipient and their supervisor, with the first installment to be paid in January 2027.

WHAT IS THE SELECTION PROCESS AND SERVICE CONTRACT FOR THE SACTA BURSARY?

Once students have graduated, they must work within the grain and oil-seed industry of South Africa, for a duration of time equal to that of the bursary received.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted and required to partake in telephonic interviews. Successful applicants will be notified within 8 weeks of the application closing date - if you do not receive any feedback within this time frame, please regard your application as unsuccessful.

WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE SACTA BURSARY?

Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):

HOW CAN I APPLY FOR THE SACTA BURSARY?

Applications must be submitted online at: SACTA Bursary Application 2027

Enter “www.zabursaries.co.za” in the field asking how you heard about the SACTA Bursary.

WHAT DOCUMENTS MUST I SUBMIT FOR THE SACTA BURSARY?

Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your online application (the submission of these documents is compulsory - if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):

• ID document or Passport (certified copy - not older than 3 months old)
• Colour ID photo
• Curriculum Vitae
• Proof of tertiary registration and fee statement (on institutions letterhead) (if not yet available, please submit these documents after being registered)
• Full tertiary academic record, including latest results (on institutions letterhead)
• Details of proposed research, including: working research title, description of research and gantt chart
• Motivational letter to support your application, including: details of your academic abilities, financial need and future career goals

WHEN IS THE CLOSING DATE FOR THE SACTA BURSARY?

30 September 2026.

(Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted - please apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)

HOW CAN I CONTACT THE BURSARY PROVIDER?

For any queries related to this bursary programme, please contact Agri Manage Solutions (Pty) Ltd (the Administrators of SACTA) directly:

• Contact person: Beatrix de Witt (Chief Executive Officer at Agri Manage)
• Tel: 012 807 3958
• Email: [email protected]

WHAT DOES SACTA DO?

The South African Cultivar and Technology Agency (SACTA) was established to help address gaps in the development and availability of new technology for self-pollinated and open-pollinated grain and oilseed crops in South Africa.

SACTA plays a central role in managing breeding levies collected across these crop sectors. Its work primarily covers crops such as wheat, barley, soybeans and certain canola cultivars, helping to support continued investment in plant breeding, research and agricultural technology.

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