South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) Scholarship South Africa 2026

ABOUT THE BURSARY PROVIDER – SAAB

The South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) was founded in order to promote and maintain the status of the Botany profession across all sectors and to perform functions which may attain the objectives of the profession.

SAAB represents various academic botanical disciplines, with members in universities, academic institutions and research institutions across the country .

ABOUT THE SAAB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME – FIELDS COVERED & VALUE

The South African Association of Botanists is inviting students to apply for the SAAB Scholarship, for the 2026 academic year.

Bursaries will be awarded for MSc studies in Botany and related studies.
 

MORE ABOUT THE SAAB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME – COVERAGE VALUE & SELECTION

3 bursaries will be awarded, valued at R50 000 each. Funding will be split into 2 years, with R25 000 being awarded in the first year and R25 000 in the second year, dependent on satisfactory progress during the first year.

Bursary recipients will receive a complimentary SAAB student membership for two years.

Successful applicants will be contacted by the middle of March 2026 (for Masters studies) and by the middle of April 2026 (for Honours Masters studies) – should you not receive any feedback by this time, please regard your application as unsuccessful.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SAAB SCHOLARSHIP

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):

• You must be a resident in one of the SADC countries (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland, Angola, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Seychelles, Mozambique, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros)
• You must have completed a BSc Honours degree in Botany or a botanically related field
• You must be in your first year of full-time study towards an MSc qualification, within a Botany or related field
• You must have graduated with a minimum overall average of 70%
• You must be studying at a recognised tertiary institution in South Africa
• You must have a supervisor that is a paid-up member of SAAB

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE SAAB SCHOLARSHIP

Applications must be submitted online at: SAAB Scholarship Application Form 2026

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

• Full academic transcripts, if available (certified copies) (if academic transcripts are not yet available, please submit your marks and a letter from your course coordinator, on the institutions letterhead, confirming your marks. Successful candidates will be required to submit their final academic transcripts before the bursary payment is made)
• Curriculum Vitae (with names and contact details of 2 references)
• Motivational letter written by yourself, stating your future academic and career plans, and a brief description of your proposed research (read our tips on how to write a motivational letter for your bursary application)
• Motivational letter from your supervisor

Note: applications received via email will NOT be accepted.

CLOSING DATE FOR THE SAAB SCHOLARSHIP

28 February 2026.
(Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted – please apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)

CONTACT THE SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDER

For any queries related to this scholarship programme, please contact the SAAS directly:
For application queries, email: saabsecretary@gmail.com