Call for Applications for NRF Honours and final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries for 2018 Applicant’s Closing Date: 15 January 2018 The National Research Foundation (NRF) awards bursaries to students pursuing full-time, Honours’ and final year B Tech studies at South African public universities. The Freestanding and Innovation bursaries are funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Scarce Skills and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Pipeline bursaries are funded by Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the National Skills Fund (NSF). These bursaries are awarded to South African citizens and South African permanent residents only and are released as Block Grants to South African public universities that nominate students that have applied for an Honours bursary. Students must submit an application on the NRF Online Submission System at: https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za and follow the application process set out in the attached Framework Document and Application Guide. South African citizens and South African permanent residents living with a disability are encouraged to apply. For more details applicants must read the NRF Honours and Final year B Tech Bursaries Framework Document which highlights the eligibility criteria and requirements for each funding category. Please Note the following: There is no UCT Internal Closing, submit your application by no later than the NRF Closing Date of 15 January 2018 for funding in the 2018 academic year. For enquiries, please contact: Ms Luthando Mili – Postgraduate Centre & Funding Office (PGC&FO). Telephone: 021 650 5075. Email: [email protected]Mr Ricardo Prins: – Postgraduate Centre & Funding Office (PGC&FO). Telephone: 021 650 1920. Email: [email protected]Please advertise this funding call and disseminate the information as widely as possible within your faculty/department
33
Embed
Call for Applications for NRF Honours and final year B ... · Call for Applications for NRF Honours and final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries for 2018 ... where the student will
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Call for Applications for NRF Honours and final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries for 2018 Applicant’s Closing Date: 15 January 2018
The National Research Foundation (NRF) awards bursaries to students pursuing full-time, Honours’ and final year B Tech studies at South African public universities. The Freestanding and Innovation bursaries are funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Scarce Skills and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Pipeline bursaries are funded by Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the National Skills Fund (NSF). These bursaries are awarded to South African citizens and South African permanent residents only and are released as Block Grants to South African public universities that nominate students that have applied for an Honours bursary. Students must submit an application on the NRF Online Submission System at: https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za and follow the application process set out in the attached Framework Document and Application Guide. South African citizens and South African permanent residents living with a disability are encouraged to apply. For more details applicants must read the NRF Honours and Final year B Tech Bursaries Framework Document which highlights the eligibility criteria and requirements for each funding category. Please Note the following: There is no UCT Internal Closing, submit your application by no later than the NRF Closing Date of 15 January 2018 for funding in the 2018 academic year. For enquiries, please contact: Ms Luthando Mili – Postgraduate Centre & Funding Office (PGC&FO). Telephone: 021 650 5075. Email: [email protected] Mr Ricardo Prins: – Postgraduate Centre & Funding Office (PGC&FO). Telephone: 021 650 1920. Email: [email protected]
Please advertise this funding call and disseminate the information as widely as possible within your faculty/department
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
6
Step 1: This is an electronic submission system and applicants must be registered on the system to create and complete an application. Click
on New Registration and complete the registration screen if you are not registered yet. Use your ID number and password to login as
indicated below
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
7
Step 2: Once the applicant has logged onto the NRF Online Submission System, the landing page appears. Click on My Profile - My CV and
complete the Qualifications section. Applicants will be able to complete the application only once they have completed theQualifications
section.
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
8
Step 3: On the Qualifications screen, click on “Add” to add the Qualification Record. Enter the level of study as well and click on “Add” to complete
the field of study.
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
9
Step 4: Click on My Applications then on Create Application to create a new application.
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
10
Step 5: On Create Application screen select the Call as indicated below and click on Apply. A new application will open.
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
11
Step 6: Once an application has been created, applicants must go to My Applications – List of Applications to continue working on the application.
To edit an application, click on the edit button as indicated below
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
12
Step 7: All sections in this application are compulsory. These sections must be completed in order for the final submit button to appear.
Completed sections will be indicated by a green tick on the Edit Application menu. Application screens have specific instructions to assist
applicants to complete the sections. The instructions on the screens guide applicants on the requirements in each section. An error message
appears when the section is incorrectly/incompletely completed. Applicants must follow these messages to complete the section correctly.
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
13
Step 8: The Details of Nomination section requires the name of the institution where the student will be studying for Honours or B Tech degree
as well as an indication of whether funding is required for a semester or a full year.
Step 9: Under the Details of Degree section, applicants are required to fill in details of the degree, field of study that is applied for and information
related to past studies and future intentions. Under Degree/Diploma, please provide the degree you are applying for e.g. B Com (Accounting)
In the cumulative grade point average block, applicants are required to enter an academic average by adding up the marks of courses already
passed or marks of undergraduate degree already obtained, and divide these by the number of courses.
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
14
Step 10: The Attachments section provides specific instructions to upload attachments to the application. The applicant is required to upload the
following documents: (i) certified South African identity document (ii) certified academic record, and in cases of an outstanding academic record,
the applicant must attach an official (university letterhead) stamped and signed fees statement (iii) proof of NSFAS or University Financial Aid
funding to be attached where the applicant indicated that they were funded from these sources (iv) medical certificate for applicants with a
disability.
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
15
Step 11: Once all sections have been completed, the final submit button will appear. Click OK to submit
the application. If all the compulsory sections are completed and the final submit button does not appear,
select any section and resave to refresh the application; the final submit button should then appear.
Applications that are incomplete, that contain insufficient or incorrect detail, or fail to comply with
instructions, will be rejected. The application must be completed in sufficient detail to allow for a
comprehensive validation and institutional review.
Applicants must ensure that they adhere to the internal closing date for submission of the application to
allow for institutional screening and review process, as well as the NRF closing date for processing the
nominations.
4. Screening and Review Processes
4.1 Overview of the Screening Process
All submitted applications will be validated and screened by the institutions according to the funding
instrument requirements. Institutions must reject applications that fail to meet the stipulated
requirements.
4.2 Overview of the Review Process
The NRF’s peer review policy requires that all applications are subjected to a review process.
Applications submitted to this funding instrument will go through a competitive Institutional Review
process.
4.3 Scoring of Applications
The process for scoring of applications will be communicated to the research offices.
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
16
5. The Delegated Authority Nomination and Award Processes
The review process will follow the steps shown in the diagram below:
The NRF will allocate a set number of bursaries to each university based on institution historical uptake of
grants, equity targets, expressed need and the available budget. Institutions will use a standard score card
provided by the NRF to evaluate each application, before selecting and nominating students to take up the
allocated bursaries.
DA Receives applications and evaluates them
DA approves them on NRF Submission, uploads relevant documentation and
captures UID
System creates a Nominations Form for the relevant UID
GMSA Staff reviews Nominations Form and prepares & approves release
Call for Honours Block Grants opens on NRF Submission
System for individual
applications
Application Rejected for
funding
Application Accepted for funding
GMSA Creates UID on Phoenix per institution according to signed
funding decisions
Institution claims funds
NRF pays
institution on claim
Honours & Final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries 2018| National Research Foundation
17
6. Application Feedback and Disputes
As mentioned above, the Honours/B Tech application is a competitive process and institutions will notify
successful awardees. Applicants must enquire with their institutional delegated authorities.
7. Application and Nomination Process Timelines
• All students must apply on the NRF Online Submission system at: https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za and
follow the application process set out in the Application and Funding Guide for 2018. The submission
deadline for applicants is 15 January 2018.
• Applicants must consult their Postgraduate Funding Office for any inquiries related to this application.
• The DA closing date for validation of applications is 16 February 2018. The DA will validate all eligible
applications for consideration under the selection process.
• Institutions will nominate students for a bursary award on the NRF Online System, based on the Block
Grant allocation to each institution and set equity targets. This nomination process will take place from
19 February 2018 to 30 March 2018.
• Nominated students must be approved by the NRF on the NRF Online system.
• DAs must upload and submit to the NRF the signed Conditions of Grant (CoGs) and proof of registration
(PoR) documents for all approved students no later than 27 April 2018.
• Unspent or unclaimed institutional funds under this allocation will automatically be cancelled by 29
June 2018.
• Institutions must report on student completion by 28 March 2019 on the NRF student completion
database.
Framework
NRF Honours’ and final year B Tech Block Grant Bursaries for
2018
Directorate: Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development (HICD)
Date: September 2017
Page 2 of 15
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ 2 1. Background and Rationale ....................................................................................... 3 2. Objectives ................................................................................................................ 5 3. Areas of Support ...................................................................................................... 6 3.1. NRF Freestanding ................................................................................................ 6 3.2. Innovation (including DST Priority Research Areas) ............................................. 6 3.3 Scarce Skills Bursaries and National Student Financial Aid Scheme Pipeline ....... 7 3.4 Students with Disability ......................................................................................... 8 4. Eligibility ................................................................................................................... 8 5. Students not eligible ................................................................................................. 9 6. Application Process .................................................................................................. 9 7. Attachments ........................................................................................................... 10 8. Evaluation Criteria .................................................................................................. 10 9. Selection and Awarding Criteria ................................................................................ 11 10. Student Nominations and NRF Approval ................................................................. 11 11. Equity and Redress ................................................................................................. 12 12. Value of Support ...................................................................................................... 12 13. Conditions of Award ................................................................................................ 13 14. Financial Control .................................................................................................... 14 15. NRF Contact Persons.............................................................................................. 14 16. Relevant Strategies on National Priority Research Areas ........................................ 15
Page 3 of 15
1. Background and Rationale
The purpose of this framework document is to outline the funding principles and
implementation of the Honours’ and final year Bachelor of Technology (B Tech) block
grant for (i) National Research Foundation (NRF) Freestanding Bursaries; (ii) Innovation
Bursaries which includes the Department of Science and Technology (DST) priority
research areas and NRF-Sasol Inzalo bursaries; (iii) the Scarce Skills Bursaries
supported by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the
National Skills Fund (NSF); (iv) bursaries for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme
(NSFAS) undergraduate-funded students; and (v) bursaries for students with a disability.
These funding instruments are funded by the NRF core grant allocation from National
Treasury; the DST (DST/CON 0118/2012); and the DHET.
These bursaries advance the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030
to increase the number of academic staff members at South African universities with
doctoral qualifications to 75% and, the number of PhD graduations to 6 000 per annum
by the year 2030. Furthermore, these funding instruments advance the joint deliverables
of the DST and the NRF for developing high-end skills in South Africa. These high-end
skills are critical for South Africa to establish a knowledge-based economy and for
producing new knowledge for socio-economic development.
The NRF is mandated by an Act of Parliament, the National Research Foundation Act
(Act No. 23 of 1998) to: “Support and promote research through funding, human
capacity development and the provision of the necessary research facilities, in order to
facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of science
and technology, including indigenous knowledge”.
In support of this mandate, the NRF makes funds available to support Honours’ and
Final Year B Tech students for the 2018 academic year. These bursaries are released
as block grants to South African public universities (Table 1). In addition, the block grant
awards for qualifying students are made to universities depending on the availability of
the budget as well as in line with the Ministerial guidelines for improving equity in the
distribution of DST/NRF Bursaries and Fellowships (Ministerial Guidelines on Bursaries
and Fellowships, 2013).
Page 4 of 15
Table 1: Bursaries for Honours’ and final year B Tech studies funded by DHET and