Grants and Writing Resources for Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University presented 79 awards at its 2026 Rector's Awards for Excellent Achievement on 8 October, chosen from 145 applications and nominations. One honouree was recognised as a top master's student and is now working toward a PhD in applied mathematics. An MSc Food Science student was recognised for academic achievement.

Postgraduate Scholarships

SU's Postgraduate Funding Office handles scholarships and bursaries for students from honours to doctoral level. The best documented is the Harry Crossley Scholarship, worth R150 000 a year for master's study and R160 000 for doctoral study and covering tuition, accommodation and living expenses. It asks for a 70% average in previous studies. Master's holders can renew it for up to two years and doctoral holders for up to three.

The same office runs the SU Postgraduate Scholarship Programme, whose full and partial awards follow criteria set by each faculty and are open to international students; the Postgraduate Funding Office page describes it. National DSI-NRF Postgraduate Scholarships, which require at least 65%, are administered there too. Several private bursaries for specific fields are listed as well.

Writing Support

The Language Centre's Writing Lab offers 50-minute consultations, free to registered SU students and staff, in person or on MS Teams. Come as often as you like. Postgraduates can also meet a consultant at the Library's Research Commons or on the Tygerberg Campus, and where possible you can choose the language of the session.

Master's and doctoral writers have more options. The Lab's writing skills workshops, aimed at master's and doctoral students, include sessions on writing theses and dissertations, literature reviews, research proposals and journal articles, and its postgraduate writing groups bring five to eight students together to trade feedback. In 2025 the Lab's Writing Marathons gave a full facilitated day of writing time on a thesis, proposal or article, at R960 for SU students and staff.

Library Support for Researchers

The SU Library's Carnegie Research Commons is reserved for master's and doctoral students, academic staff and researchers. It offers personalised help from librarians, seminar rooms that can be booked, and workshops and seminars on academic writing and research techniques. Entry takes an SU student or staff card.

Student Journals and Publishing

The Stellenbosch Socratic Journal is a student-run, peer-reviewed publication of the Department of Philosophy, set up to give undergraduate and postgraduate thinkers a formal academic outlet. The Library has hosted it since 2025. It is one of 26 titles on SUNJournals, the Library's open-access journal platform.

SU's research output is archived in SUNScholar, the University's institutional repository (Library research services). The Library's open access publishing support explains the read-and-publish agreements that give SU authors substantial discounts on article processing charges and, in many instances, let them publish open access at no cost.

When your draft is close and you want a careful last read, our editors are available. See our Stellenbosch University dissertation and thesis editing page, or write to editors@editorsforstudents.com.