A partnership between the NDoH, PHEF and the SAMRC A National Health Research Committee Initiative
Request for Applications (2026 enrolment) About BM-NHSP The Bongani Mayosi National Health Scholars Programme (BM-NHSP) is an initiative by the National Health Research Committee (NHRC) and a partnership between the National Department of Health (NDoH), the Public Health Enhancement Fund (PHEF) and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). The objective of the BM-NHSP is to fund the training of 1000 PhDs in health and clinical research over a 10-year period. The aim of the BM-NHSP is to contribute positively towards efforts to strengthen and accelerate progress towards equity in research in line with the South African National Department of Health (NDoH) human resource for health strategy and the national health research priorities. The purpose is to attract and enable health professionals to access PhD research opportunities in a university environment and thereby strengthen their research profiles and consequently improve their prospects of permanent employment within the health/clinical research space. The BM-NHSP is designed to develop a vibrant and transformed health research academic pipeline in SA that is adequately equipped to train healthcare workers and inspire a new generation of health/clinical researchers. The 2026 BM-NHSP Request for Applications (RFA) Applications are invited for PhD scholarships for study at South African universities. Funding is towards the completion of the degree and is made available for a full degree period (i.e. prescribed time for a PhD) as a tax-free scholarship for full-time study. The value of the scholarship is equivalent to the after-tax takePage 1 of 10