Mandela Rhodes Scholarship 2027 for Postgraduate Study in South Africa
Country: South Africa
Organization: Mandela Rhodes Foundation
Program: Mandela Rhodes Scholarship
Category: Scholarship
Study Level: Honours and Masters
Deadline: 14 April 2026, 23:59 GMT+2
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship supports postgraduate study in South Africa and combines financial support with a leadership development programme. According to the official page, the scholarship is for a one-year Honours degree or a two-year Masters degree in any field at a recognised South African institution of higher education.
About the Scholarship
The Mandela Rhodes Foundation describes the scholarship as a leadership journey that combines funding with a programme built on the principles of reconciliation, education, entrepreneurship, and leadership. The leadership development programme is delivered primarily through a series of week-long residential workshops during the scholar’s time in residence.
Financial Support
The scholarship offers comprehensive funding for the core costs associated with study. The official page states that this includes tuition and registration fees, allowances for study materials, research, and medical aid, accommodation and meals, a personal allowance, and economy-class travel from an international scholar’s home country to their South African university at the beginning and end of the degree. Research and conferencing grants can also be made available on request.
The Foundation also states that it does not cover university application fees, SAQA accreditation costs, or visa application costs.
Eligibility
Applicants must be citizens of an African country. They must be between the ages of 19 and 29 in the year of applying and must be under the age of 30 when taking up the scholarship. By 1 January 2027, applicants must have an undergraduate degree with excellent academic results, stated on the page as above 70% or upper-second class Honours.
Applicants must also be able to study at a postgraduate level in English. The official page states that written and verbal academic work must be done in English.
The scholarship is intended for postgraduate study only. It supports Honours and Masters degrees in any field, but it does not fund MBAs, any type of block course, or courses delivered predominantly online. It also does not fund undergraduate study. Distance learning is not allowed.
The official page also states that applicants completing their undergraduate degree in 2026 may apply, but the degree must be completed by 1 January 2027 before taking up the scholarship.
Selection Focus
According to the Foundation, scholars are selected based on leadership, reconciliation, education, and entrepreneurship. The page also states that applicants should be academically strong and should have demonstrated leadership on campus or in their community.
Programme Conditions
Attendance at the residential workshops and regional pods is mandatory and is a condition of the scholarship. The page states that the leadership development programme includes a combination of in-person and online gatherings, with three workshops in the first year in residence and two in the second year for those on a two-year programme. Participating in the mentoring programme is optional.
The Foundation also states that the scholarship cannot be deferred, scholars must secure admission to their university of choice by January of their year in residence, and they may not hold other scholarships or funded opportunities. Paid work of more than 12 hours a week is not allowed.
Duration
The Mandela Rhodes Foundation states that the scholarship will fund a degree to a strict maximum of two years. Honours students receive one year of funding, while Masters students receive one or two years of funding.
Where You Can Study
The scholarship is for study in South Africa at a South African institution of higher education. The official page lists eligible institutions, including AFDA, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Monash University, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, North West University, Rhodes University, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Cape Town, University of Fort Hare, University of Free State, University of Johannesburg, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Mpumalanga, University of Limpopo, University of Pretoria, University of Stellenbosch, University of the Western Cape, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Venda, University of Zululand, Vaal University of Technology, and Walter Sisulu University.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted online through the Foundation’s application platform. Applicants must upload their documents and essays through the platform. The official page also states that three recommendation letters are required, and the three recommenders must upload their letters directly on the platform. An application cannot be submitted without these letters and will not be considered.
The page states that applicants will be asked to upload certificates of completion for their degrees, transcripts of their academic results, and scans of their ID and passport documents. Documents and transcripts must be provided in English. Applicants must also write two short essays, one on their personal journey and one on a specific question relating to the Foundation’s principles.
Applicants must indicate their proposed course of study in the application. The Foundation does not require proof that a university application has already been submitted, but it strongly recommends applying as early as possible and to more than one university. The scholarship award is conditional on being offered a place at the relevant institution.
SAQA and Visa Notes
The Foundation states that SAQA verification is not required in order to apply for the scholarship. However, applicants who progress to the second and third rounds are advised to apply for and complete SAQA verification as soon as possible. The Foundation does not cover the costs of SAQA verification.
Applicants from outside South Africa may need SAQA verification to begin their studies at a South African university. The official page also states that visa applications and related costs are the applicant’s responsibility, and delays in obtaining a visa may affect the ability to start the academic programme and the leadership development programme on time.
Timeline
The application timeline for the 2027 intake runs from March to November each year. Applications open on Monday, 9 March 2026, and close by the end of Tuesday, 14 April 2026 at 23:59 GMT+2. No late or incomplete applications will be accepted.
The official timeline further states that applicants will be notified by mid-July whether they progress to Round Two, by the end of July whether they progress to Round Three, and by the end of August whether they are invited to a final-round interview or have been unsuccessful. Final-round interviews will be conducted in South Africa in October, and candidates based outside South Africa who reach the final round will be flown in for an in-person interview. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of October.
