SANBI plays a crucial role in promoting South Africa's sustainable development by providing access to biodiversity data, producing valuable information and knowledge, building capacity, offering policy guidance, and conserving biodiversity through its national botanical and zoological gardens.
Bursary description
The Joan Wrench Scholarship Fund was created to reward academic excellence in young professionals and to provide financial aid for practical training or postgraduate studies in relevant biodiversity fields. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is now inviting applications for Honours, Masters, and Doctoral (or equivalent NQF levels) scholarships for full-time studies in 2025.
Projects:
Only projects that align with SANBI's mandate and are deemed a priority will be considered. Please refer to the provided link for specific projects. For other projects, kindly contact us first to confirm if your proposal is eligible.
Scholarship amounts:
The scholarships cover living expenses and university fees, and the values are as follows:
Honours: R120,000 for one year only
Masters: R150,000/year for two years
Doctoral: R180,000/year for three years
Separate funding will be allocated to cover project-related expenses, which will vary based on the project.
Requirements and eligibility
To qualify for the Joan Wrench Scholarship Fund (SANBI), candidates need to meet the following requirements outlined below:
Candidates must be proactive and interested in conducting excellent research that can make a difference.
Only projects relevant to SANBI’s mandate and research strategy and identified as a priority will be considered.
For specific projects, applicants may refer to this link.
For other projects, applicants should contact SANBI to determine the suitability of their proposals.
Applicants must apply for university programs themselves and receive provisional acceptance from prospective academic supervisors before the scholarship can be granted.
The scholarship will be conditional upon the applicant securing their placement in a postgraduate program and receiving endorsement from the SANBI supervisor.
Applicants must conduct full-time studies in any South African university and be based in the Western Cape for at least three months every year for fieldwork and face-to-face consultations with SANBI supervisors, where relevant. The research projects, including field sites, must be focused on the Western Cape and be in line with SANBI’s mandate and research strategy. Applicants must not be employed, and existing studies will not be supported. Registration for a second Honours, Masters, or Doctoral degree will not be considered, and co-funding will be considered for those holding partial scholarships or bursaries.
How to apply
Please note that applications for the Joan Wrench Scholarship Fund are currently closed and will reopen closer toward the end of 2025. Be sure to check the Bursaries website for updates regarding 2025 applications for the Joan Wrench Scholarship Fund.
To apply for the Joan Wrench Kirstenbosch Scholarship studentships, interested applicants must submit:
a letter of interest;
a project outline (one page for Honours and two pages for Masters and Doctoral);
full CV;
certified copy of academic record/transcript
certified copy of highest qualification;
certified copy of ID;
two letters of academic reference;
letter from a prospective university supervisor as well as from a SANBI supervisor, indicating willingness to supervise;
provisional registration/application from the university.
They must also provide a project outline, two academic reference letters, and letters of willingness to supervise from both the prospective university and SANBI supervisor.
Applications should be emailed to students@sanbi.org.za or students.sanbi@gmail.com with "Joan Wrench Kirstenbosch Scholarship studentships" in the subject line. Applicants should note that SANBI reserves the right not to award the scholarships, and if they have not received a response within 30 days of the closing date, their applications were unsuccessful.
For more information, contact Dr Ferozah Conrad at f.conrad@sanbi.org.za.
