The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) invites prospective Master’s degree students in Data Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Financial Analytics to apply for its fully funded scholarship for the 2026 academic year.
Scholarship Application Closing Date: Friday, 31 October 2025
Age Requirement: Must be under 35 years old
Citizenship: South African citizens only
Promo Code: SARBDSM26
Purpose of the Scholarship:
The SARB aims to address the shortage of critical STEM skills in South Africa, especially in areas of financial data science. This scholarship is intended to support postgraduate students who are academically strong and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Eligibility Criteria:
To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must:
- Have provisional acceptance into one of the approved Master’s programmes
- Select modules with financial analytics focus
- Hold a relevant Honours degree with minimum 65% average
- Be registered as a full-time student in 2026
- Be a South African citizen
- Be younger than 35 years
- Be willing to attend workshops as required by SARB and NGA(MaSS)
Approved Institutions & Programmes:
| University | Programme | Website |
|---|---|---|
| North-West University | MSc (Business Mathematics & Informatics) | NWU BMI |
| University of the Western Cape | MSc (Statistical Science – Data Science) | UWC Data Science |
| Wits, UP, NWU, UL, Venda, SPU | MSc (eScience) | Wits MSc eScience |
| Stellenbosch University | MSc (Machine Learning and AI) | MLAI @ SU |
| Stellenbosch University | MCom (Financial Risk Management) | Fin Risk @ SU |
| University of KwaZulu-Natal | MSc (Data Science) | UKZN Data Science |
| University of Pretoria | MIT (Big Data Science) | MIT @ UP |
| University of Cape Town | Master’s (Analytics or Data Science) | UCT Masters |
| University of Pretoria | MCom (Advanced Data Analytics) | MCom @ UP |
How to Apply:
Click here to apply online for the SARB Master’s Scholarship 2026
Use PROMO CODE: SARBDSM26
Required Documents:
- Academic transcript (most recent results)
- Proof of provisional acceptance into one of the listed Master’s programmes (student number)
- South African ID copy
- Supporting documents (certified and in PDF format)
Important Notes:
- Submit results by 31 December 2025 (even if not awarded the bursary yet)
- Shortlisted candidates may be interviewed
- Successful candidates will sign a scholarship agreement with the SARB
For more information about the SARB, visit www.resbank.co.za