About SARAO
The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, or SARAO, is a national facility of the National Research Foundation. It manages all radio astronomy projects and facilities in the country. These include the MeerKAT telescope, which sits about 90 km outside Carnarvon in the Northern Cape. MeerKAT has already produced hundreds of research publications. SARAO also runs the HartRAO site west of Johannesburg. NASA built the facility in 1961, and it operates radio telescopes used for astronomy and for geodesy, the science of measuring the Earth. In addition, SARAO leads South Africa's part in the Square Kilometre Array, a global project to build what is described as the largest radio telescope ever. MeerKAT is expected to become part of the first phase of the SKA's mid-frequency telescope.
How SARAO supports students
A telescope of this size needs scientists, engineers and data specialists. For that reason, SARAO funds a human capital development programme. It has awarded more than two thousand grants at different academic levels, according to its website. The programme includes postgraduate scholarships, postdoctoral fellowships and funding for radio astronomy skills workshops.
The scholarship ladder covers Honours, Master's and Doctoral study. Each award is linked to a research project and supervisor that SARAO approves, in science or engineering fields. Students must want to do research that supports the goals of MeerKAT and the SKA. As a result, this is not a general bursary. It is a research scholarship for people who already know they want to work in or near radio astronomy.
What to know before applying
Recent application guides say South African citizens and permanent residents can apply. Citizens of a short list of other African countries have also been eligible. Check the current guide for the full list.
Applications for the scholarships usually go through the NRF Connect platform. Many universities set their own internal closing dates, which come earlier than the national deadline. Contact your university's postgraduate funding office early so you do not miss a step.
Scholarship values change from year to year. Older guides listed an annual amount, a one-off equipment grant and a travel grant, but you should not rely on old figures. The current guide on the SARAO website sets out what the Master's and the wider postgraduate scholarships pay in your round. Before you apply, speak to a potential supervisor. Make sure your project matches the SARAO research priorities, and prepare your academic record and a clear research proposal. Use SARAO's own site at sarao.ac.za and the NRF portal for forms. Do not pay anyone to submit an application for you.
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