Medical & Health Sciences Bursaries
Bursaries for South African students pursuing careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, physiotherapy, radiography and allied health sciences. Government, foundation and private healthcare-sector funders.
3 medical bursaries
- Medical Closes 31 Aug 2026
Discovery Foundation Bursary Programme
Discovery Foundation
Join South Africa's leading healthcare innovator. Build your medical career with a focus on preventive care, wellness innovation, and community health improvement.
R100,000 - R180,000 per yearView details → - Medical Closes 15 Aug 2026
Life Healthcare Bursary Programme
Life Healthcare
Join South Africa's leading private healthcare provider. Build your medical career with access to world-class facilities, cutting-edge technology, and a commitment to excellence in patient care across our network of premier hospitals.
R90,000 - R160,000 per yearView details → - Medical Closes 25 Dec 2026
MRC Bursary Programme
Medical Research Council of South Africa
Premier medical research bursary programme supporting the next generation of health researchers and contributing to South Africa's medical advancement.
R90,000 - R180,000 per yearView details →
Medical bursaries in South Africa - what to know
The MBChB squeeze
South African medical schools admit roughly 2,000 students per year against tens of thousands of applicants. Securing a bursary alongside university admission is a separate challenge - most medical bursaries pre-select students and pay tuition directly to the university.
Allied health pays well too
Physiotherapy, radiography, occupational therapy and pharmacy bursaries are less competitive than MBChB funding and offer real career stability. Discovery Foundation and Life Healthcare in particular fund a wide range of allied health professions.
Provincial health departments
Every provincial department of health runs a bursary scheme with a work-back commitment in the public sector. These are large-scale and often less competitive than corporate bursaries.