Canon Collins Master & PhD Scholarships 2027, South Africa
The Canon Collins RMTF Scholarships 2027 offer postgraduate funding to students from selected Southern African countries who want to pursue a Master’s or PhD at a South African university.
The scholarship provides between R20,000 and R100,000, depending on the individual circumstances of the selected scholar. Funding can normally continue for up to two years for Master’s students and three years for PhD students, subject to satisfactory academic progress.
The scholarship is particularly focused on applicants working toward social justice and positive change in Southern Africa. Applications for the 2027 cycle close on August 21, 2026, at 16:00 SAST.
Canon Collins Scholarship 2027 Overview
- Scholarship Name: Canon Collins RMTF Scholarships 2027
- Study Country: South Africa
- Degree Level: Master’s and PhD
- Funding: R20,000 to R100,000
- Study Mode: Full-time, part-time and eligible distance learning
- Eligible Nationalities: Nationals or recognized refugees from selected Southern African countries
- Host Institutions: South African universities
- Main Fields: Justice, Education, Humanities
- Social Justice Experience: At least two years of sustained engagement
- Master’s Requirement: Good Honours degree, normally Second Class Upper Division or equivalent
- PhD Requirement: Strong Master’s degree
- PhD Supervisor: Required
- Application Deadline: August 21, 2026, at 16:00 SAST
What Is the Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship?
The Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship supports postgraduate students whose academic and professional goals are connected to social justice in Southern Africa.
Rather than simply rewarding academic performance, the program looks for applicants who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to social justice and who want to use postgraduate study to address important challenges affecting the region.
Successful scholars become part of the wider Canon Collins community and are expected to participate in scholar activities, including the annual conference and other network activities.
Degree Level
The 2027 scholarship supports:
- Master’s degrees
- PhD degrees
The funded program must be undertaken at a South African university.
One useful feature of the scholarship is that eligible students may study full-time, part-time or through distance learning, depending on the requirements of their chosen program.
Available Subjects
For the 2027 cycle, Canon Collins is concentrating its funding on three broad academic areas.
1. Justice
This area can include subjects and research connected to:
- Law
- Economics
- Politics
- Climate justice
- Human rights
- Social and economic inequality
2. Education
Applicants can propose postgraduate study connected to:
- Education policy
- Education practice
- Access to education
- Educational inequality
- Other relevant education-related issues
3. Humanities
Eligible humanities areas can include:
- Literature
- History
- Anthropology
- Arts
- Other relevant humanities disciplines
Applicants should make sure their proposed degree or research genuinely fits one of these areas.
Degrees such as an MBA, medical science, sports science or applied science do not qualify simply because an applicant connects them generally to social development.
Social Justice Experience Is Important
One of the most distinctive eligibility requirements is the applicant's experience with social justice issues.
Applicants need at least two years of sustained engagement with social justice.
This does not necessarily mean two years of formal employment.
Relevant experience may include:
- Community work
- Volunteering
- Advocacy
- Teaching
- Mentoring
- NGO work
- Public service
- Social-impact research
- Professional work addressing inequality
- Human-rights initiatives
- Education or environmental justice activities
The strongest applications will show a clear connection between the applicant's previous activities, proposed postgraduate study and future plans.
Benefits
The scholarship offers financial and professional benefits to successful applicants.
Funding of Up to R100,000
The award can range from R20,000 to R100,000, depending on the scholar's circumstances.
Applicants should not automatically interpret the R100,000 figure as a guaranteed amount for every recipient.
Multi-Year Support
Funding is normally available for:
- Up to 2 years for Master’s study
- Up to 3 years for PhD study
Continued funding is subject to satisfactory academic progress and the applicable scholarship conditions.
Flexible Study Options
Eligible scholars can pursue their studies:
- Full-time
- Part-time
- Through eligible distance-learning arrangements
Canon Collins Network
Successful scholars become part of the wider Canon Collins network, providing opportunities to connect with other scholars and participate in community activities.
Scholars are expected to participate in activities such as the annual conference.
Eligible Nationalities
The Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship is open to nationals or recognized refugees from the following countries:
- Angola
- Botswana
- Eswatini
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- South Africa
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Applicants will normally also need to live in one of these eligible countries.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must also satisfy the academic requirements for their intended degree.
Master’s Applicants
Master’s candidates should hold or expect to obtain a good Honours degree, normally equivalent to at least a Second Class Upper Division.
PhD Applicants
PhD candidates should have a strong Master’s degree and must have identified a supervisor or prospective supervisor who has agreed in principle to supervise the proposed research.
A research proposal will also be required at the later application stage.
Application Procedure
What Documents Are Required?
The scholarship uses a two-stage application process.
At Stage 1, applicants generally provide documents such as:
- Degree certificates
- Academic transcripts
- CV
- Passport, birth certificate or driver's licence
- Refugee documentation where applicable
- Recent payslips if requested
Applicants who progress to Stage 2 will have additional requirements.
Master's applicants may need to submit a writing sample, while PhD applicants will need to provide their draft research proposal and supervisor support letter.
Two reference letters are also required at the later stage.
How Does the Application Process Work?
The Canon Collins application process is divided into stages.
Stage 1
Applicants submit the initial online application and supporting documents.
The first stage is designed to establish whether the applicant meets the core eligibility requirements.
Stage 2
Applicants who pass the first stage are invited to provide more detailed information.
For the 2027 cycle, Stage 2 is expected in September 2026.
Interviews
Shortlisted applicants may be interviewed during October or November 2026.
Final outcomes are expected around mid-December 2026.
Important AI Application Rule
Applicants should pay particular attention to the scholarship's policy on generative artificial intelligence.
For this scholarship, generative AI must not be used to draft, write or substantially edit application responses.
Applicants can use standard spelling and grammar tools where they do not rewrite their answers, but the substantive application must remain the applicant's own work.
Using AI-generated application content can result in disqualification.
Therefore, applicants should use scholarship guidance only to understand the requirements and prepare their own responses in their own voice.
Do PhD Applicants Need a Supervisor?
Yes.
PhD applicants must identify a supervisor or prospective supervisor who has agreed in principle to supervise the proposed research.
This means prospective PhD candidates should begin contacting suitable academics before the later application stage.
Your proposed research should also clearly fit within one of the scholarship's three funded areas and address a meaningful social justice issue affecting Southern Africa.
How to Apply for the Canon Collins Scholarship
Applicants should begin by confirming that their:
- Nationality or refugee status is eligible.
- Country of residence meets the requirements.
- Degree level is eligible.
- Proposed subject falls within the 2027 funding areas.
- Academic qualifications meet the required standard.
- Social justice experience meets the two-year requirement.
- South African university and intended program are eligible.
After confirming eligibility, applicants should prepare the required documents and complete the online application before the deadline.
Canon Collins Scholarship 2027 Deadline
The deadline for Stage 1 of the Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship 2027 is August 21, 2026, at 16:00 SAST.
Applicants should avoid submitting at the last minute because the application must be complete and supporting documents may need to be prepared in advance.
PhD applicants, in particular, should begin contacting potential supervisors as early as possible.
Final Thoughts
The Canon Collins RMTF Scholarships 2027 provide an important postgraduate funding opportunity for students from Southern Africa who want to study at a South African university while developing solutions to social justice challenges.
The program is particularly suitable for applicants whose academic plans are connected to Justice, Education or Humanities and who can demonstrate at least two years of meaningful social justice engagement.
With awards ranging from R20,000 to R100,000, support for up to two years of Master's study or three years of PhD study, and flexible study options, the scholarship can provide valuable support for eligible postgraduate students.
The Stage 1 deadline is August 21, 2026, at 16:00 SAST. Applicants should carefully review the nationality, academic, subject and social justice requirements before submitting their applications.
