FUNDING CLIFF: Postgraduate funding crisis prompts launch of new bursary toolkit

A funding gap is leaving South African postgraduate students in a precarious position, with a new bursary toolkit launched to help funders design more effective support and improve student outcomes. At the launch of the toolkit on August 20, it was noted that the National Research Foundation (NRF) receives minimal funding compared to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for undergraduates, a situation described as a "national crisis."

The disparity in funding levels led to a "funding cliff" where NSFAS-funded undergraduate students often find no comparable support once they transition to postgraduate study. Professor Lynn Morris highlighted that NSFAS provided over R50 billion annually for undergraduates, while the NRF's postgraduate funding budget was only R1 billion in 2024, having roughly halved since 2017.

The toolkit, developed after months of consultation, aims to assist philanthropic funders in creating more effective higher education funding programs, addressing the shared lack of knowledge among those navigating the funding landscape. The resources include a funding toolkit, a postgraduate and research knowledge brief, a roadmap, and templates for funding agreements, selection criteria, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation.

Funders emphasized that bursaries alone are insufficient, and success should be measured by the outcomes achieved rather than the number of bursaries awarded. The toolkit, funded by the Carl & Emily Fuchs Foundation, the Doris Crossley Foundation, and the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust, is available as an open-access resource to aid funders and institutions in closing the funding gap for postgraduate students.