The TWAS-NRF Doctoral Fellowship pays for a PhD in the natural sciences at a South African university or research institution. It is run jointly by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), which is based in Trieste, Italy, and South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF). The aim is to bring scientists from developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America into South African labs for up to three years of full-time doctoral research. You can read the full scholarship details on our scholarship page.
For a Pakistani student with a master's in chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, earth sciences or engineering sciences, this is one of the few doctoral routes built around South-South collaboration rather than a pipeline to Europe or North America. It is also a partial award, and that single fact decides whether it will work for you. Read the funding section carefully before you spend months on an application.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding type | Partial Cost of Study (tuition and accommodation up to an annual ceiling, plus flight and visa support) |
| Level | PhD, up to three years |
| Fields | Natural sciences: biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, earth sciences, engineering sciences |
| Host country | South Africa |
| Providers | TWAS and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa |
| Deadline | Varies by call. Calls are announced periodically, not on a fixed annual schedule |
| Official site | TWAS-NRF Doctoral Programme official page |
Why "Partial Cost of Study" is the line to read twice
The fellowship is structured as Partial Cost of Study (PCS) support. In practice that means it covers your tuition fees and accommodation costs, but only up to a set annual ceiling. Historically that ceiling has been around R101,196 per year. Treat that figure as a guide, not a promise: the amount can change between calls, so check the current call document for the exact cap.
On top of the PCS amount, the fellowship covers:
- the cheapest available return economy flight to and from South Africa
- support for visa or study permit costs
- up to three years of PhD research funding
- access to South African research institutions and national research facilities
What it does not cover in full is your living costs. Successful applicants are expected to find the rest through their host institution, their supervisor's research grant or other complementary funding. This is where many applicants get caught out. If your plan is to arrive with the fellowship alone and nothing else, you are taking a real risk. Ask your prospective supervisor early whether their grant can top up your support, and build a realistic budget for food, transport and daily expenses before you accept an offer.
Cost of living and safety also vary a lot by city and campus in South Africa, so the same ceiling stretches differently depending on where you end up.
Is a Pakistani applicant eligible?
The fellowship is for residents of developing countries outside the European Union, and the programme describes its target group as scientists from Africa, Asia and Latin America. South African nationals cannot apply, because the point is to bring outside talent into South African institutions. Pakistan is a developing country in Asia, so it falls within the stated scope, but always confirm that your country is on the eligible list in the specific call you are applying to.
Beyond residency, you need:
- a master's degree or equivalent in a relevant natural science field
- a SAQA evaluation of your qualifications, submitted with the application
- a prospective South African supervisor or host institution that has provisionally agreed to take you
- a strong academic record and a clear research proposal in the natural sciences
The field restriction is strict. The programme does not fund social sciences or humanities. If your research sits on the border (say, environmental policy or science education), frame it honestly and check whether it genuinely fits a natural science discipline before applying. A proposal that reads like social science is unlikely to get far.
The SAQA evaluation is the step that sinks applications
SAQA is the South African Qualifications Authority. It issues an official evaluation of foreign qualifications, and for this fellowship it is mandatory. Applications without the SAQA evaluation certificate are automatically rejected. No exceptions are described in the programme information.
The evaluation can take time to process, and calls are not announced on a fixed schedule. Put those two facts together and the advice is obvious: start the SAQA process before a call opens, not after. Pakistani applicants should also make sure their degree certificates and transcripts are in order early. If you need your documents verified at home first, our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains that process.
Finding a supervisor before you apply
The eligibility list includes identification of, and provisional agreement from, a prospective South African supervisor or host institution. Contact potential supervisors before you write your proposal, not after. A supervisor who knows your work can help shape the proposal to fit their lab, and their research grant may be the source of the extra living costs the fellowship does not pay.
When you write to a supervisor, be specific. Name the paper or project of theirs that connects to your master's research, explain in a few lines what you want to work on, and attach your CV. A generic email sent to fifty professors is easy to spot and easy to ignore.
The seven documents in the application package
- Completed NRF/TWAS online application form
- Master's degree certificate and transcripts
- SAQA evaluation certificate (mandatory)
- Research proposal
- Letters of recommendation
- Valid passport
- CV
Check your passport validity early, since you will also need it for the study permit if selected. For a general list of what international scholarship applications usually ask for, see our documents checklist for Pakistani students.
Applying through the NRF portal
Applications are only accepted online through the NRF portal during an open call window. The process looks like this:
- Watch the TWAS and NRF websites for a new call. There is no fixed month to expect it.
- Identify a South African host institution and, ideally, a supervisor in your research area.
- Submit your qualifications for SAQA evaluation well ahead of time.
- Complete and submit the online application on the NRF online application portal within the call window.
- Wait for review by TWAS and NRF. If selected, finalise registration with your host institution and arrange your study permit.
When calls open and how long selection takes
The timing varies from cycle to cycle. Calls are announced on the TWAS and NRF websites, applications go in within the announced window, and review and selection take several months after the deadline. If you are selected, your PhD start date is aligned with your host institution's academic calendar.
Because of this, the realistic approach is to prepare everything (SAQA evaluation, transcripts, recommendation letters, a draft proposal and a supervisor contact) before any call is live. Applicants who wait for an announcement and then start the SAQA process often run out of time.
Who this suits, and who should look elsewhere
This fellowship suits a Pakistani researcher with a solid master's in a natural science who wants serious lab access, especially in areas where South Africa has strong national facilities such as astronomy, biotechnology and materials science. It suits you even better if a supervisor there is willing to support you from their own grant.
It is a weaker fit if you need fully funded support with a guaranteed living stipend and have no other source of money. It is also not for you if your field is in the social sciences or humanities. And if you need to know a fixed deadline months in advance for planning, the irregular call schedule will be frustrating.
A few common mistakes to avoid:
- Leaving SAQA until the call opens. Missing it means automatic rejection.
- Assuming the fellowship covers all costs. It does not.
- Checking only one website. Monitor both TWAS and NRF.
- Writing a proposal that drifts outside the natural sciences.
- Applying without any contact with a South African supervisor.
If you are comparing options, our guide to all South Africa scholarships lists other routes for study in the country.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the TWAS-NRF Doctoral Fellowship?
The fellowship is open to residents of developing countries outside the European Union, with a focus on Africa, Asia and Latin America. Pakistan falls within that description, but confirm your country's eligibility in the current call on the official TWAS page.
Does the fellowship cover all my costs in South Africa?
No. It covers tuition and accommodation up to an annual ceiling, plus a return economy flight and visa or study permit support. You will need other funding, such as your supervisor's grant or your host institution, for remaining living costs.
What happens if I do not have a SAQA evaluation?
Your application will be automatically rejected. The SAQA evaluation of your qualifications is a mandatory part of the application package, and it can take time, so start early.
When is the deadline?
It varies by call. Calls are announced periodically on the TWAS and NRF websites rather than on a fixed annual schedule, so check both sites for the current open cycle.
Which fields are eligible?
Natural sciences only: biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, earth sciences and engineering sciences. Social sciences and humanities are not funded.
Can South African citizens apply?
No. The programme exists to bring scientists from other developing countries to South African institutions, so South African nationals are not eligible.
For the current call and exact funding ceiling, check the TWAS-NRF Doctoral Programme official page, and see the full TWAS-NRF Doctoral Fellowship details on Titans Abroad.