This is entirely different from funding international students. The South African Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) manages an international scholarship portal specifically to send South African citizens abroad. They coordinate massive bilateral agreements with countries like China, Russia, Hungary (Stipendium Hungaricum), and various EU nations.
Quick Overview
Full Requirements & Details
Academic Requirements
- Min. CGPA
- 3.0
- Offer Degrees
- Masters, PhD
- Subjects
- Agriculture, Arts, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Psychology
- Seats Available
- Hundreds annually
- Study Gap Allowed
- No Restrictions (Gap Allowed)
- Research Publication
- Optional
- Work Experience
- No
- Age Range
- No Age Limit
Language Requirements
- IELTS
- No
- TOEFL
- No
- GRE
- Not Required
- Local Language
- English
- Local Lang Test
- No
- Study Languages
- English
Financial Details
- Type
- Full
- Fund Details
- See Description
- Monthly Stipend
- ZAR 0/mo
- Tuition
- Full
- Living Costs
- Full
- Travel & Health
- Yes / Yes
- Application Fee
- Free (No Application Fee)
- Spouse Allowed
- No
What Matters Most
Required Documents
Why You Should Apply
It is the primary avenue for South Africans to secure fully funded international degrees without relying on private foundations. Generally, the host country covers your tuition and accommodation, while the South African government covers your return flight and often provides a supplementary monthly stipend to ensure you don't fall into poverty in a foreign country.
Application Process
You apply through the DHET International Scholarships portal. The process is two-tiered: first, you must pass the South African government's vetting process (which heavily prioritizes previously disadvantaged demographics and critical skills shortages). If nominated, your application is forwarded to the host country (e.g., the Chinese Embassy) for final approval.
How to Win This Scholarship
You must ruthlessly target the 'Critical Skills' list published by the South African government. If you want to study fine arts in Russia, DHET will likely ignore your application. If you want to study nuclear engineering, artificial intelligence, or advanced agricultural genetics, you will be fast-tracked.
Your essays must explicitly state how you will bring this knowledge back to alleviate South Africa's infrastructural and economic crises.
Benefits After Completing Study
Graduates return with international credentials highly valued by South African parastatals (like Eskom or Transnet) and government ministries.
Administrative delays are common. You must be prepared to hound DHET for your supplementary stipends, as bureaucratic bottlenecks frequently leave students waiting for funds while abroad.
Official Source
For complete details and to verify all requirements, please refer to the scholarship provider's official website.
Visit Official Source