(https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-discovery-awards)

Wellcome is soliciting applications for their Discovery Awards scheme from established researchers and teams from any discipline. Researchers who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing are eligible to apply.  Successful applicants will be expected to actively promote a diverse, inclusive and supportive research environment within their team and across their organisation.    

Eligibility:

Established researchers  

Award details:

Up to eight years of project expenses.   

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:  

Three deadlines annually, with the next one for 2026 being 22 September.

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has released funding opportunities under the South African National Health Research Enterprise (NHRE) Programme. The programme is supported by the SAMRC, National Treasury through the National Department of Health, the Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust, and aims to help retain research capacity and infrastructure within South Africa. Applications can be submitted under the following themes:

• Health Systems Research

The call focuses on health systems research with a clear pathway to policy uptake, health system strengthening, equitable access to quality healthcare, scalability and measurable impact within the South African public health system.
o Award details: Supports three-year projects, of up to R2 Million per annum or a maximum of R6 Million over 3 years
Deadline: 16 October 2026- Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

• Research in Women, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health

The call supports research to address maternal, neonatal and child health challenges in South Africa, including maternal and perinatal mortality, healthcare system weaknesses, and neonatal infections. It also prioritises under-researched gynaecological conditions and seeks innovative approaches to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management, with a focus on equity, local relevance, translation and sustainability.
o Award details: Supports three-year projects, of up to R5M per annum or a maximum of R15M over 3 years.
Deadline: 16 October 2026- Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

• Research in Non-communicable Diseases 

The call focuses on two priority programmes: (1) cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and (2) cancer. Proposals should address people at risk and vulnerable populations, with attention to modifiable, metabolic and environmental risk factors, and should demonstrate potential socioeconomic benefit, ideally through prevention and control strategies that can reduce avoidable mortality and morbidity
o Award details: Supports three-year projects, of up to R5 Million per annum or a maximum of R15 Million over 3 years.
Deadline: 15 October 2026- Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Please complete the Intention to Submit form if you plan to apply for this funding opportunity, allowing our team to track your progress and offer full support.

(https://www.samrc.ac.za/funding/south-african-national-health-research-enterprise-research-tb-hiv-other-infectious-diseases)

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) invites applications for research projects that will strengthen the South African National Health Research Enterprise by advancing research on tuberculosis (TB), HIV and other infectious diseases. This RFA invites applications from eligible South African researchers and institutions for projects that generate knowledge, evidence, tools, innovations, platforms, interventions or implementation models to address priority gaps in TB, HIV and other infectious diseases. Applications should be aligned with South Africa’s health priorities and demonstrate clear potential to contribute to improved health outcomes, strengthened research capacity, equitable access to innovation and public health impact.

Eligibility  

• Researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.
• Principal Investigators must be South African citizens or permanent residence holders and must be employed by an eligible South African institution capable of administering the grant. 

Award details    

• Up to R5 million per annum, to a maximum of R15 million over three years.

   

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:  

11 October 2026

(https://www.omt.org.za/new-frontiers)

The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) invites applications for its New Frontiers Award. This recognises the efforts of visionary early-to-mid-career researchers determined to build high-performance research teams and the South African academy. The award is intended to provide researchers with the freedom and flexibility to pursue their research, without bureaucratic constraints, helping them produce significant work and gain international recognition.

Eligibility  

Applications from all disciplines are welcome
• Hold a PhD or equivalent (e.g., MD if in a medical field).
• Be an early-to-mid-career researcher (i.e., between 5 and 15 years of research experience post-PhD qualification in their field).
• Be employed at or have a confirmed offer from the proposed host institution.
• Be able to demonstrate a significant body of work and already enjoy considerable national and/or emerging international recognition for high-quality and impactful research outputs..
 

Award details    

This grant is a five-year award, with a monetary value of ZAR 1.5 million per annum.
• OMT intends to fund 1 award nationally per year.
• Applicants need to be willing and able to dedicate at least 70% of their time to research.

Application process
• This application involves two stages. The first stage requires the PI to submit a concept note through the funder portal by 30 September 2026. Institutional approval via UCT’s electronic Research Administration (eRA) system is not needed at the Concept Note stage. Refer to the Concept Note guidelines here.
• If your concept note is accepted, you will be invited to submit a full application:
o Full applications: Opens early November 2026 and closes 31 January 20276 (this will require UCT eRA approval – contact FHS.ResearchFunding@uct.ac.za for internal deadlines).

Funder deadline:  

30 September 2026

Publishing in peer-reviewed journals is an integral part of the postgraduate process. However, many students leave UCT before converting their dissertation/thesis into publishable manuscripts. The Postgraduate Publication Incentive (PPI) award is intended to assist needy students within the Faculty of Health Sciences to ‘buy time’ by contributing to their living expenses.
Supervisors to apply for funding from this scheme on behalf of their graduating students.

Eligibility 

• PhD students who have recently submitted or are about to submit their dissertation/thesis (Masters students may be considered depending on availability of funding)

  
Award details 

R5 000

Funder deadline
02 October 2026

Download the full call for more information

Wellcome has introduced significant changes to its Discovery Research funding portfolio to make its funding processes more flexible and better aligned with the evolving research landscape.

From 14 July 2026, its career-based schemes have moved to an always-open, rolling application process:
• Early-Career Awards
This scheme provides funding for early-career researchers (no more than 3years post-PhD) from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Through innovative projects, they will deliver shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing. By the end of the award, they will be ready to lead their own independent research programme.
o Award details 
PI salary for up to five years and up to £400 000 for research purposes.

• Career Development Awards
This scheme provides funding for mid-career researchers (~1-2 periods of
research post-PhD) from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders. They will develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work and deliver significant shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing.
o Award details 
Up to eight years and applicants may request a salary. 

• Discovery Awards
This scheme provides funding for established researchers and teams from any discipline who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing.
o Award details 
Up to eight years of project expenses. 

Researchers can now submit applications at any time, with proposals assessed at regular intervals throughout the year. Wellcome has also updated its resubmission policy. These changes are intended to give applicants greater flexibility, reduce the pressure of fixed deadlines, and support researchers in applying when they are ready, while Wellcome continues to review and evolve its broader funding approach.

Please note: The following UCT's internal approval requirements, will continue to apply:

(https://www.samrc.ac.za/about-us/samrc-scientific-merit-awards)

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has issued a call for nominations for the annual 2025 SAMRC Scientific Merit Awards. Through these prestigious awards the SAMRC aims to acknowledge outstanding contributions to health research, recognise individuals who have demonstrated exceptional scientific acumen or made innovative strides in addressing public health challenges, potentially influencing policy and thereby enhancing the well-being of the South African population.

The Main Award Categories are as Follows:
• Platinum Lifetime Scientific Achievement Award
• Gold Scientific Excellence Award
• Silver Scientific Achievement Award
• Research Capacity Development and Transformation Award
• Public Health Implementation and Impact Award
• Bronze Scientific Achievement Award
• Emerging Researcher Award

Eligibility
The Awards are open to South African citizens and Permanent Residents who meet the award criteria and are eligible to be nominated

For more details about these opportunities, including the nomination process and selection criteria, please visit the funder’s page and review the nomination form.

Funder deadline:
The deadline for submission of the completed nomination form is on the 21st September 2026

(https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/innovations-low-cost-and-simplified-pathogen-sequencing-workflows)

The Grand Challenges invites applications for innovative solutions that will make pathogen genomic sequencing more affordable, scalable and operationally simple for routine public health use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This call seeks proposals that substantially reduce the cost and complexity of pathogen sequencing, with a target of approximately US$1–10 per sample from sample to sequencing data. Proposed solutions should simplify sequencing workflows while maintaining data quality and public-health utility and should be suitable for implementation in LMIC public-health laboratories.

Eligibility
• Researchers with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Principal Investigator.

Award details
• Tier 1 Early-stage feasibility awards: Up to US$300,000 for up to 24 months.
• Tier 2 Mid-stage development awards: Up to US$600,000 for up to 24 months.
• Tier 3 Advanced development and validation awards: Up to US$800,000 for up to 36 months.

Funder webinar on the 1st of September please register here.

Download the PDF outlining UCT’s deadlines for internal approval

Funder deadline:
29 September 2026 

The MPhil in Intellectual Disability aims to contribute to knowledge generation and translation in the field of intellectual disability in South Africa and Africa. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to self-advocacy and self-determination, community inclusion, evaluating and improving public service provision and promoting the health and wellbeing of people with Intellectual Disability.

The degree does not lead to a professional qualification that can be registered with a professional body but rather aims to enhance students’ knowledge and research skills in the field of Intellectual Disability. 

Prospective students should have an approved professional health degree/profession (e.g., medical doctor, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech-language therapist, nurse, social worker, registered counsellor, psychologist) and be registered with the appropriate professional body as a practitioner.

Course outline: The degree is offered as either a two-year fulltime or 3-year part-time research degree comprised of coursework and a dissertation:

Research supervisors are jointly appointed mental health practitioners in the WC Department of Health and the Division of Intellectual Disability, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at UCT. Supervisors will offer supervision and support aimed at assisting students to master the research process (finalising their research proposals, gaining ethics approval for the research, gathering and analysing data for their research, writing up and submitting their dissertations). 

Further details of the course and course assessments can be obtained from the UCT Health Sciences (postgraduate) Student Handbook which can be found at https://uct.ac.za/students/study-uct-handbooks/handbooks

Applications must be made online. A guide for submitting your application is available at https://uct.ac.za/postgraduate-hub/apply-uct/application-process

Prof Sharon Kleintjes can be contacted via email for queries related to the degree at sr.kleintjes@uct.ac.za. Please use the subject heading “MPhil Application 2027” for your query.

We are looking for a motivated PhD student to join the Psychiatric Genetics Group within the Centre for Brain-Behaviour at the UCT Neuroscience Institute. The PhD candidate will be supervised by Dr Megan Campbell in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences. The successful candidate will be supported by grants awarded to Dr Campbell. A stipendwill be offered and continuation after the first year will be contingent on satisfactory academic progress.

Research scope

The doctoral project will align with key research priorities within psychiatric genomics. The successful candidate will conduct large-scale genomic analyses, statistical genetics, or computational genomics, with a dedicated focus on developing and applying analytical methodologies optimised for diverse and admixed populations.

Position Details & Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will receive specialised training tailored to the technical scope of the project. In addition to primary research activities, the candidate will be expected to contribute to broader project operations, including community engagement initiatives.

Start Date

This scholarship is tenable from early 2027.

Requirements

We particularly encourage applications from students with a background or strong interest in genetics, bioinformatics, neuroscience, or related disciplines. Experience working with large datasets, as well as experience working in R and Python and utilizing command line tools, would be beneficial. Applicants should have strong analytical and writing skills.

Application procedure

Submit your application as a single consolidated PDF file via email to bronwyn.malagas@uct.ac.za. Ensure the subject line clearly states: "PhD Application". The application must include:

• A cover letter, outlining your research interests and alignment with the group's research directions.

• A full curriculum vitae.

• The names and contact details of two academic referees.

• The ICGEB-SAWBP PhD Fellowship Scheme, in partnership with the  South African Department of Science, Technology and Innovation will support South African women researchers intending to study towards a PhD degree, in Biotechnology at the Cape Town Component for commencement in early 2027.
   
• The SAWBP programme promotes the interaction and mobility of South African women Biotechnology researchers and the ICGEB community, including mobility support to conduct research at other ICGEB Components in Trieste, Italy and New Delhi, India
   
• Proposed doctoral research projects must be innovative and fall within one of the ICGEB Cape Town Component macro areas of research, namely: Infectious Diseases, Non-Communicable Diseases, Bioinformatics, Plant Systems Biology and Virology.
   
• The Fellowships comprise a very attractive package:

  • Three-year PhD Fellowship

  • Tuition and stipend

  • Applying the latest techniques and methodologies to the applicant’s chosen research topic

  • Opportunities for mentoring, peer-to-peer learning and complementary skills

  • Immersion in a top class international scientific research environment 

ℹ️ For further info and application process guidelines: ICGEB South African Women in Biotechnology Programme SAWBP – PhD Fellowship Call – ICGEB

Closing Date for Applications:
20 October 2026

The Adolescent Accelerators Research Hub (AARHub) in the Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR) invites applications for a PhD scholarship for candidates seeking to undertake doctoral research embedded within our active social science research programmes, supervised by Prof Elona Toska. This opportunity is designed for a research- ready candidate who wishes to pursue a structured, publication-oriented PhD with strong mentorship, clear academic milestones, and an emphasis on analytical skill development and research independence.

Scholarship Value and Tenure

Value: R315,000 annually per award, up to three years.

Years 1–3: core PhD funding, contingent on satisfactory progress toward meeting set and agreed upon milestones.

Year 4: optional and contingent on satisfactory progress, available funding, and evidence of manuscript development and thesis write-up.

Funding contributes to tuition and living costs and must be held alongside a formal PhD registration at the University of Cape Town.

Applicants need to submit their documents in a SINGLE PDF to ashleigh.coull@uct.ac.za titled “2027 PhD scholarship call”

A brand new Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health!!
⏰ 2 years, part-time 
💻 Fully remote
🗓️ Structured in blocks, allowing flexibility for working students
🧠 Evidence-based curriculum gounded in best practice

More info: pgdipmh@uct.ac.za
Applications due 30 October 2026 (for 2027 intake)