Study in South Africa: SA-CERN Excellence Scholarships 2027 (Fully Funded)

The SA-CERN Excellence Scholarships 2027 offer a fantastic chance for postgraduate research at one of the world’s top scientific research facilities. Successful applicants will receive full cost-of-study support for the duration of their approved master’s or doctoral studies for the 2027 academic year. The bursary is worth up to R150 000 per annum for MSc students and R200 000 per annum for PhD students. It also funds eligible research visits to CERN directly related to the projects of the selected students.

The opportunity is suitable for academically outstanding South African students interested in particle physics, nuclear physics, artificial intelligence, data analysis, engineering, computing, theoretical physics, and technology development.

Eligible Study and Research Areas for SA-CERN Excellence Scholarships

1. ALICE – A Large Ion Collider Experiment

Potential research areas include:

Particle physics.
Heavy-ion collisions.
High-energy nuclear physics.
Particle detection and data analysis.
Fundamental interactions.
Computational physics.

2. ATLAS – A Toroidal LHC Apparatus

Research connected to this may involve:

Experimental particle physics.
Particle detector technology.
High-energy physics.
Large Hadron Collider data analysis.
Statistical modelling.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in particle physics.

3. ISOLDE – Isotope Separator On-Line Facility

Potential research areas include:

Nuclear physics.
Nuclear structure.
Nuclear astrophysics.
Radioactive isotope research.
Experimental nuclear science.
Applications of nuclear science and technology.

4. THEORY – Theoretical Physics

Possible research areas include:

Quantum field theory.
Fundamental interactions.
Theoretical particle physics.
Mathematical physics.
High-energy physics.
Theoretical models of matter and the universe.

5. Technology Transfer

Relevant research areas may include:

Artificial intelligence.
Big data and data analytics.
High-performance computing.
High-throughput computing.
Digital electronics.
Particle detector development.
Engineering and instrumentation.
Computing technologies.
Technology innovation and commercialisation.

Requirements for SA-CERN Excellence Scholarships

Firstly, applicants must be South African citizens. Hence, candidates should be prepared to provide a valid South African identity document as evidence of citizenship.
Second, applicants must show a strong academic record and a clear potential to do excellent research in the future.
Third, applicants must be registered or meet the requirements for registration at a South African university for full-time master’s or PhD studies.
In addition, applicants are expected to have a strong academic background and the ability for scientific research and innovation.

Benefits of SA-CERN Excellence Scholarships 2027

Firstly, successful MSc candidates may receive up to R150,000 annually to support the cost of their postgraduate studies.
Secondly, successful doctoral candidates may receive up to R200,000 per year to support their PhD studies.
Thirdly, the scholarship will provide full-cost-of-study support within the applicable annual bursary limits.
Additionally, candidates will have the opportunity to travel to CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.
Furthermore, successful candidates will have the chance to engage in research linked to international scientific collaborations.
Lastly, the scholarship offers a chance to develop valuable technical and professional skills.