Canon Collins Trust

About the Canon Collins Trust

The Canon Collins Trust grew out of the anti-apartheid work of Canon John Collins. He led Christian Action and the Defence and Aid Fund in Britain. The Trust, known formally as the Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust, was set up in 1981. Its head office is in London, and it also works in South Africa. It is a registered charity in England and Wales and a registered non-profit organisation in South Africa.

Today, the Trust describes its mission as advancing social justice in southern Africa. It does this by building and linking communities of ethical leaders, activists and organisations. Scholarships are its best-known programme. Over the decades it has supported more than 3,000 postgraduate students from the region.

How the Trust supports students

Canon Collins manages several scholarship funds, each with its own donor, rules and subject focus. Two of them are relevant to South African postgraduates. Both fund study at South African universities.

The Tom Queba and Pegasys Scholarships for Social Change support Honours and Master's study. Applicants must be Black or coloured South African nationals who live in South Africa. They must be under 34 at the start of the course and hold a good first degree.

The RMTF Scholarships support Master's and PhD study. They are open to nationals of several southern African countries, including South Africa. Funding runs for up to two years, with the chance to reapply for a third. For Master's study, applicants need a good Honours degree. For a PhD, they need a good Master's. Awards in the 2027 round were limited to justice, education policy and practice, and the humanities.

Scholars gain more than money. They join a network of alumni and current students working in law, health, education, journalism and human rights. The Trust also runs social justice dialogue courses and publishes writing by its community.

What to know before applying

These awards are for postgraduate study only. School leavers and first-degree students should look elsewhere. Competition is strong, so write a clear, honest motivation that links your research to social change.

Dates, funding amounts and eligible subjects change from one round to the next. For that reason, read the current call on the Trust's website before you start. Scholarship questions can be sent to scholarships@canoncollins.org.

Apply early, and make sure your referees and academic records are ready well before the closing date.

The range of funds shifts over time. For example, the Trust has also advertised Joel Joffe LLB scholarships at the University of Fort Hare and the University of the Western Cape. Because Canon Collins is a charity, each fund exists only while a donor or partner supports it. Therefore, check the scholarships page for the current list before you plan your studies.