South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)

About the SAAO

The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is South Africa's national centre for optical and infrared astronomy. It is a facility of the National Research Foundation. Its headquarters are in the Cape Town suburb of Observatory, which is named after it, and it runs the observing station at Sutherland in the Northern Cape, home of the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT).

The SAAO carries out research on stars, galaxies and the wider universe, and it designs and builds astronomical instruments. Many of its projects combine optical data from SAAO and SALT telescopes with radio data from MeerKAT and with X-ray measurements from space.

The SAAO also runs outreach and education programmes, and it offers internships and job shadowing for students who are interested in astronomy and related fields.

How the SAAO supports students

The SAAO supports postgraduate research in multiwavelength astronomy across the country. It offers master's and doctoral students the chance to work with its researchers on astronomy and instrumentation projects, and it publishes a list of research opportunities each year. You can read how to apply on our SAAO Postgraduate Bursary page.

Students whose main supervisor is at the SAAO get access to computer resources, funding for observing and for conferences approved by their supervisor, and a mentor. In return, they commit to at least 40 hours of service work for the SAAO each year, and most spend at least half their time in Cape Town.

The SAAO's 2027 research opportunities included projects on galaxy evolution with MeerKAT, cold gas and black holes in central galaxies, blazars, weak lensing with neutral hydrogen surveys, and the impact of astronomy-for-development projects in developing countries.

The SAAO also points students to the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme (NASSP), a combined graduate programme funded by the NRF and hosted by the University of Cape Town, North-West University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

What to know before applying

The SAAO does not run a separate open bursary. To do postgraduate research through the SAAO, you register at a South African university and apply to the NRF for funding, with the support of your SAAO supervisor. The NRF closing date for 2027 funding was 3 July 2026, and universities set earlier internal deadlines.

Start by contacting the supervisors who offer projects that interest you, and send them your CV. Students of any nationality can apply for NRF funding, but the NRF gives strong preference to South African citizens and permanent residents.