Science & Engineering Bursary Opportunity from CSIR in 2017

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The CSIR is the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research which is a world class South African research and development organisation. They offer bursaries every year to students studying or planning to study science and engineering courses with applications being open from April to June every year. Successful applicants are then given full funding which means, tuition fees, accommodation fees,  spending money, laptop and book allowances. In return for this funding students are expected to work for the CSIR for the same amount of years that they were funded by CSIR, which is not a bad deal. The CSIR also offers people it sponsors other forms of support through annual gatherings and visits at universities as well as making the vacation work part of students studies easier (since they will not have to look and apply for vac work like non-funded students). This all sounds good and well but you do not want to work at some place you are not interested in because they funded your studies, so let us get to know more about who the CSIR is and what they do?

The CSIR aims to improve the quality of life of South Africans through research and technological innovation. Its stakeholder is the South African legislature (parliament) and it's the Minister of Science and Technology's job to keep an eye on the CSIR on behalf of parliament to make sure that the CSIR is doing everything in its power to reach the objectives set by parliament. The CSIR reaches its innovation and research objectives by hiring, nurturing and developing (through mentor-ship and bursaries and internships) this countries brightest students in the science, engineering and technology fields, once qualified it provides them with state of the art laboratories, testing facilities, equipment, clean rooms and pilot plants to make sure that all that knowledge gained from university and research actually gets converted into something usable to improve the lives of South Africans.

The CSIR has 7 focus areas:

1. Industry

2. Health

3. Energy

4. Defence & Security

5. Built Environment

6. Natural Environment

7. Digital Environment

After reading this you should have an idea of whether you would like to join the CSIR and whether you want to apply for their bursary or not.

- you must be a South African citizen

- you must be applying for full time study at a South African public university

- English (level 5), Mathematics & Physical Sciences (level 6), note that these are minimum requirements so the better your marks the higher your chances of getting the bursary.

- Must be a South African citizen

- Enrolled for fulltime study at a South Afican public university.

There will be a call for applications on the CSIR website in April to June or you can inquire for more information via email callcentre@csir.co.za or call 012 841 2911