DSTI – CSIR African Laser Centre Scholarship Programme 2026 for African Students – Scholarship Opportunities

305

Application Deadline: 17 October 2025

Applications are now open for the 2026 DSTI – CSIR African Laser Centre Scholarship Programme. The African Laser Centre initiative (ALC) is an open, non-exclusive partnership to stimulate innovation, research and technology development in lasers and their applications across Africa. In support of this broad objective, it seeks local, continental and global partnerships.

The CSIR hereby invites applications from researchers in South Africa or across Africa with active collaborations with researchers at South African universities for bursary support for their non-South African students, who intend to further their postgraduate studies in laser and laser application-related disciplines, and who will be registered at a South African university in 2026.

Requirements

• Students working within an existing funded ALC collaboration project who wish to pursue laser and/or laser applications-related master’s or doctoral research studies at a South African university will get preference; and
• Master’s and doctoral students from Africa who wish to pursue their studies in laser and/or laser applications-related disciplines at South African universities can also apply.

Note: The application for an ALC Scholarship must be submitted via a supervisor at a South African university where the student is or will be enrolled. A strong motivation is required by the student’s South African-based supervisor.

Benefits

• Support for all ALC activities is subject to funding availability. For master’s level studies, the ALC Scholarship value for 2025 will be R 100 000 per annum. For doctoral studies, the annual value is R 140 000 per annum. For master’s level studies, only two years of funding support will be allowed, and for doctoral studies, three years of funding support will be allowed.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the DSTI – CSIR African Laser Centre Scholarship Programme