Square Kilometre Array (SKA) South Africa

About SKA South Africa and SARAO

The Square Kilometre Array, or SKA, is a huge international radio telescope project. South Africa hosts part of it in the dry Karoo region of the Northern Cape, while Australia hosts the rest. The South African work is led by SARAO, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is part of the National Research Foundation. Its project office is at Liesbeek House in Mowbray, Cape Town. SARAO built and runs the MeerKAT telescope, a world-class instrument that now serves as a precursor to the larger array. The observatory also supports other radio astronomy facilities in the country. Because this work is so technical, it relies on strong local talent in science and engineering. The Karoo site was chosen for its very dry, quiet radio environment, which protects the telescope from interference.

How SKA South Africa supports students

To grow that talent, the SKA South Africa project launched a Human Capital Development Programme in 2005. Since then, it has awarded well over a thousand grants and bursaries. These have funded undergraduate and postgraduate students, technicians, artisans, postdoctoral fellows and university staff positions. Reports show that roughly R455 million went to grants between 2005 and 2018. Students from other African countries have benefited too. The programme has also supported maths and science learners at school level, which helps build a pipeline from Grade 10 to a university degree.

Today, SARAO offers scholarships for undergraduate BSc and BEng study, as well as bursaries for master's and doctoral research. Eligible fields in recent calls included physics, astronomy and astrophysics, electrical, electronic, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, and computer engineering and computer science. Mathematics and applied mathematics also featured.

The recent undergraduate scholarship was reported at about R183,000 a year, with a once-off laptop grant of R13,000. However, amounts and conditions change with each call. Besides money, students gain mentorship, workshops and exposure to real research teams.

What to know before applying

Calls open once a year and close early. For instance, the 2027 undergraduate call closed in mid-August 2026, and postgraduate calls closed in June. Therefore, you should watch the SARAO website well ahead of time, and prepare your academic records and motivation early. Meanwhile, keep your marks high and your documents certified.

Competition is strong. Applicants normally need excellent marks in mathematics and physical sciences, and a place at a South African university. Some postgraduate bursaries run through university departments, so you may need to apply through your supervisor or institution as well. Always confirm eligibility, service conditions and deadlines on the official pages before you apply. Students in smaller fields such as astronomy should also look at university departments, since many hold research funds that support master's and doctoral candidates.