South Africa NHRE Doctoral Programme Deadline Extended to September 29
The South African Medical Research Council has extended the application deadline for its National Health Research Enterprise Doctoral Programme to September 29, 2026. Eligible health-science PhD candidates now have until 23:59 to complete the online application and upload all required supporting documents.
The separate deadline for research supervisors has also been extended. Supervisors must complete the required track-record and commitment documentation and submit the application to SAMRC by October 6, 2026 at 23:59.
NHRE Doctoral Programme 2026: Key Details
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | South African Medical Research Council |
| Programme | National Health Research Enterprise Doctoral Programme |
| Study Level | PhD |
| Field | Health Sciences |
| Applicant Deadline | September 29, 2026 at 23:59 |
| Supervisor Deadline | October 6, 2026 at 23:59 |
| Scholarship Value | R250,000 per year |
| Normal Funding Period | Three years |
Who Can Apply for the NHRE PhD Scholarship?
SAMRC has set specific eligibility requirements for the doctoral funding programme. Applicants must be South African citizens or permanent residents and must hold a master's degree.
- Be a South African citizen or permanent resident.
- Hold a master's degree.
- Have a proposed PhD research project in the health sciences.
- Have the project endorsed by the proposed supervisor and institution.
- Be registered full-time for a PhD at a South African university when the award begins.
- Have a supervisor willing to support the student throughout the degree.
The supervisor must also have suitable research funding and facilities to enable the student to carry out the proposed doctoral research.
How Much Funding Is Available?
The scholarship provides R250,000 per year for the prescribed first three years of PhD study.
A fourth year of support is not automatic. SAMRC says additional funding may be considered where there is demonstrated academic progress and a compelling motivation from the student's supervisor and hosting unit director.
What Research Areas Are Encouraged?
The programme supports innovative doctoral research addressing priority health challenges in South Africa. SAMRC also encourages projects incorporating cross-cutting technologies such as:
- Digital health
- Artificial intelligence
- Genomics
- Other emerging health-research technologies
The broader aim is to develop a pipeline of highly skilled health-science researchers who can contribute to research and innovation in South Africa and internationally.
How to Apply for the SAMRC NHRE Doctoral Programme
- Complete the official online application form.
- Upload all required supporting documents by September 29.
- Ensure the proposed supervisor completes the required supervisor documentation.
- The supervisor must submit the final application by October 6.
SAMRC has also published a pre-application workshop recording, guidance slides, an RFA document containing the supporting-document checklist and a sample abstract to help applicants prepare their submissions.
Why Was the NHRE Programme Introduced?
SAMRC says the National Health Research Enterprise was established partly in response to a substantial decline in international funding available to South Africa's health-research ecosystem. The initiative is supported by SAMRC, National Treasury through the National Department of Health, the Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust.
Eligible candidates who have not yet completed their application should therefore submit the online form and supporting documents before 23:59 on September 29, 2026, while supervisors have until October 6 to complete the final stage.