Key Facts
- Status
- Applications Closed
- Provider
- Field of Study
- Study Level
- Application Closes
-
Eligibility Requirements
- South African citizen
- Admitted to full-time study at a recognised institution
- Registered for a master's degree by dissertation or a doctoral degree
- Research relevant to the South African sorghum industry
- Research proposal approved by the Sorghum Trust before you start
- Supervisor appointed by your university and approved by the trust
Documents Needed
- A completed application form, including the signed legal undertaking in Section E
- A certified copy of your South African ID or passport
- Your latest academic transcript on an official letterhead
- Proof of registration and a fee statement, if available
About Sorghum Trust Scholarship
The Sorghum Trust Scholarship funds master's and doctoral students whose research can help the South African sorghum industry. The Sorghum Trust set up the scheme to promote higher education in agriculture, and in particular the study of sorghum and its impact on farming in South Africa.
The trust's founders include producers, researchers and private industry. They know that agriculture keeps changing, and they want to identify and educate the people that the sorghum industry will need. Agri Manage Solutions, a company that specialises in agricultural clients, administers the scholarship on the trust's behalf.
Applications open once a year and close on 30 September. The most recent closing date was 30 September 2026, so this page shows the scholarship as closed until the next call. The trust says it contacts successful applicants within eight weeks of the closing date.
Funding Details
The trustees decide how much each scholarship is worth every year. In the most recent published call, the trust offered scholarships of R30,000 to two applicants who met all of the criteria. Awards are made at the discretion of the trustees.
The first instalment is paid in January of each year. Every payment depends on a positive report from your supervisor, so you need to keep up good progress throughout your studies.
The scholarship comes with a work-back condition. You must work in the South African sorghum industry for the same period for which the trust funded you. You must also submit a hard and a soft copy of your completed thesis or dissertation, which may be posted on relevant industry websites.
If you fail a semester or year course, the trust can cancel the scholarship. In that case, you must repay the full amount awarded up to that point, with interest at the prime overdraft rate.
Where You Can Study
You can study at any tertiary institution that the Sorghum Trust recognises, and you must be admitted to full-time study at the institution of your choice. In practice, this means a South African university with an agriculture or plant science faculty that can supervise research on sorghum.
Speak to your proposed supervisor early, because the trust needs to approve both your supervisor and your research proposal.
About Sorghum Trust
About the Sorghum Trust The Sorghum Trust is a South African agricultural trust that funds work for the benefit of the country's sorghum industry. It was created after the Sorghum Board closed in 1997, when all of the bo…
View full provider profile →Fields of Study & Who Can Apply
The scholarship is for South African citizens who want to do postgraduate research related to sorghum. It funds only students who are registered for a master's degree by dissertation or for a doctoral degree. Honours, coursework master's and undergraduate students cannot apply.
Your field of study must be relevant to the South African sorghum industry, and your proposal should show how your research can benefit the industry. The trust must approve your dissertation or thesis proposal before you start your studies.
You must study full-time, and you must work with a supervisor whom your university appoints and the trust approves.
Application Procedure
Download the application form from the Sorghum Trust scholarship page on the Agri Manage Solutions website. Complete every section, sign the legal undertaking, and attach all the supporting documents. Submit your application by 30 September. The trust only considers complete applications that arrive on time.
Shortlisted applicants have a telephone interview. If you do not hear from the trust within eight weeks of the closing date, you can assume that your application was unsuccessful. Tell your supervisor that they will need to register with the bursary scheme on the Agri Manage website.
Applications for this cycle have closed. Check the provider's site for the next intake.
- Closes
-
Last verified:
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Sorghum Trust Scholarship close?
Applications close on 30 September each year.
How much is the Sorghum Trust Scholarship?
The trustees set the amount each year. The most recent call offered R30,000 to each of two applicants.
Can honours students apply?
No. The scholarship funds only master's by dissertation and doctoral students.
Is there a work-back condition?
Yes. You must work in the South African sorghum industry for as long as the trust funded you.
