Canon Collins RMTFP Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies

The Canon Collins Trust invites applications for postgraduate study in South Africa. Funding is provided for up to a maximum of two years for Master’s and PhD, with the ability to reapply for an additional year. Continued funding depends on satisfactory progress and academic reports.

Awards are made for study programmes in three areas: Justice (including Climate Justice, Law, Economics and Politics), Education policy and practice, and Humanities (including Literature, History, Anthropology and the Arts). Applicants are advised to apply only if their programme fits these disciplines; clearly unrelated fields such as MBAs, medical sciences, sports sciences and applied sciences are not considered. Interdisciplinary courses and doctoral studies may require judgment on categorisation.

Selection uses a two-stage process. Applicants who meet all eligibility criteria, submit a complete application, and upload all required Stage 1 supporting documents are considered for Stage 2. Successful Stage 1 applicants are invited to submit a more detailed application, and shortlisted applicants are invited to interview. Applicants are notified by email.

Funding duration is up to a maximum of two years for Master’s and up to three years for PhD. Scholarship holders are expected to participate in an annual conference and several smaller events throughout the year and to become part of and contribute to the scholarship network.

• Must be a national of, or hold recognised refugee status in, one of the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
• Must be ordinarily resident in one of the above countries.
• Must be applying for, or currently enrolled in, a Master’s or PhD programme at a South African university.
• Must hold, or expect to obtain, the required degree for the relevant level at the time of application: a good Honours degree (minimum Second Class Upper Division or equivalent) for Master’s study, or a good Master’s degree for PhD study.
• Must demonstrate a sustained commitment to social justice through at least two years of active engagement in activities that contributed to addressing social justice challenges in their community, country, or region, such as community-based initiatives, advocacy, teaching or mentoring, public service, civil society or NGO involvement, social impact research, professional practice, or leadership promoting equity and inclusion.
• Must pursue studies or research that contribute to understanding, responding to, or addressing a significant social justice challenge affecting Southern Africa.
• If applying for PhD study, must have identified a supervisor (or prospective supervisor) who has agreed in principle to supervise the proposed research, and must submit a draft research proposal as part of the application.
• Programme of study must fall within the listed disciplines (Justice; Education policy and practice; Humanities). Applications that clearly do not fall within these areas (for example MBAs, medical sciences, sports sciences and applied sciences) will not be considered.
• Applicants must represent their own work and voice. Use of generative artificial intelligence tools to draft, write, or substantially edit any part of the application is not permitted; applications found to have used generative AI will be disqualified.

• Funding for up to a maximum of two years for Master’s and up to a maximum of two years for PhD, with ability to reapply for an additional year for Master’s and with PhD funding up to a maximum of three years.
• Scholarship package value range of R20,000 to R100,000 depending on student circumstances.
• Support is available for both full-time and part-time study.
• Applications may be considered for study by distance learning.
• Conference and events participation: scholarship holders are expected to participate in an annual conference and several smaller events throughout the year and contribute to the scholarship network.

1. Complete the online application form and follow the full instructions that appear when starting a new form.
2. Submit a short online application for Stage 1 by the Stage 1 deadline.
3. Upload Stage 1 supporting documentation: copy of degree certificates, academic transcripts, CV, and an ID document (passport, birth certificate or driver’s licence).
4. If applicable, include proof of refugee status; if currently employed, upload two recent payslips.
5. Wait for Stage 1 consideration; only applicants who meet eligibility criteria, submit a complete application, and upload all required Stage 1 documents will be considered for Stage 2.
6. If successful in Stage 1, submit the more detailed Stage 2 application when invited by email.
7. Provide Stage 2 materials: two reference letters, and for Master’s applicants a sample piece of writing; for PhD applicants a draft PhD research proposal and a letter of support from the supervisor (or prospective supervisor) agreed in principle.
8. If shortlisted after Stage 2, attend an interview.
9. Monitor email notifications for the application outcome.

• Copy of degree certificates
• Academic transcripts
• CV
• ID document (passport, birth certificate or driver’s licence)
• Proof of refugee status (if applicable)
• Two recent payslips (if currently employed)
• Two reference letters (Stage 2)
• Draft PhD research proposal (PhD applicants only, Stage 2)
• Sample piece of writing (Master’s applicants only, Stage 2)
• Letter of support from the supervisor (or prospective supervisor) who has agreed in principle (PhD applicants applying, Stage 2)