NSF Interviewees: Front from left to right, Nkateko Salane, Nonhlanhla Ngwenya, Ameeb Maharaj, Sisipho Sopangiso, and Muzomuhle Mlotshwa

The National Skills Fund (NSF) through the International Scholarships Programme of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), aims to provide funding support to facilitate academic for Master’s and Doctoral scholarship recipients. The support ensures that the recipients can fully benefit from international study opportunities. While the scholarships primarily target Master’s and Doctoral qualifications and postdoctoral fellowships, a limited number of undergraduate scholarships are also available. The scholarships focus on science, technology, and innovation programmes.

The Department has a range of skills interventions to promote social and economic development among youth and adults. These scholarship awards play a critical role as an additional mechanism to achieve equitable access to higher education for all South Africans. The Deputy Director General for Planning, Policy and Strategy at DHET Dr Nolwazi Gaza when delivering the keynote address at the send-off ceremony said, “we strongly believe that it is through the provision of equal opportunities to study persisting inequities which can be permanently eradicated in the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) and the country”.

“It is indeed an honour and a privilege to be congratulating and send-off yet another group of South African students who have been awarded these prestigious Scholarships funded by the NSF through the DHET made it possible and we the department, extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners from China, Russia, Hungary, Mauritius and France and for providing these study opportunities to the South African youth”, said the DDG Dr Nolwazi Gaza.

The DHET coordinates several scholarships, while others are managed by various international, national and provincial departments or government agencies. These scholarships are for South African citizens and require a commitment to return to South African upon completion of studies.

The NSF attended the Pre-departure orientation and send-off ceremony in support to the DHET international scholarship programmed for deserving students.  The event took place at Premier Hotel Roodevalley in Kameelsdrift, Pretoria from 05 to 07 August 2024. This programme is part of other NSF funded programmes and projects in fulfilling its legislative mandate towards national skills development priorities. The orientation aimed to prepare students for their transition to host countries, equipping them with essential knowledge, life skills and information.

The orientation was a three day’s event. The first day featured the send-off ceremony, while days two and three included an induction workshop. The orientation comprised delegates from host countries and delegates from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), DHET, Higher Health, the NSF, the Alumni, the First National Bank and Reynolds travel.

Since 2013, the NSF has committed R 537 million to the DHET International Scholarship Programme. This year’s funding allocation for the programme is R364 million. The allocation of these funds from the NSF is intended to support and address the concerns of the department, including the 37% (3.8 million) of youth who are not in employment, education, or training.

The NSF funds through this DHET programme cover the total costs of registration and tuition fees, books and prescribed study materials, accommodation, meal allowances, and transport costs to formal teaching and learning activities.

Eligibility for funding through the DHET International Scholarship Programme requires that applicants must produce satisfactory results in their studies, submit up-to-date quarterly reports, have an approved research proposal and are conducting research necessary for the qualification for which the scholarship was awarded.

The NSF continues to provide funding for various post-school learning pathways and initiatives designed to achieve equitable access to quality provisioning in the PSET sector.

By Tshepang Monyake: NSF Communication Officer