South African Reserve Bank Masters in Data Science & Machine Learning Scholarship 2026

📖 About the Scholarship

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB), in collaboration with the Data Science Academic Committee of the National Graduate Academy for Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (NGA(MaSS)), invites prospective Master's degree students to apply for competitive bursaries in the fields of data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on financial analytics.

This initiative aims to address the severe shortage of skills in South Africa by providing scholarships and bursaries to students from disadvantaged backgrounds pursuing relevant fields of study.

About the South African Reserve Bank

The SARB serves the economic well-being of all South Africans by maintaining price stability and financial stability. It is responsible for:

• Regulating the South African financial sector
• Designing and distributing banknotes and coins
• Managing interest rates
• Setting cash reserve requirements for banks
• Ensuring the stability of the banking sector and the wider financial system

📅 Opportunity Details

• Date Published: May 31, 2025
• Application Deadline: October 31, 2025
• Category: Masters, Postgraduate
• Opportunity Location: South Africa
• Eligible Applicants: South African citizens

🎁 Benefits

• Scholarship funding to support your Master's studies.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Provisional acceptance into one of the identified Master's programmes.
• Selected modules must include financial analytics topics.
• Hold a relevant Honours degree with an average of at least 65% overall pass mark.
• Be a full-time student.
• Be a South African citizen.
• Be younger than 35 years of age.

Additional Requirements

• Students may be required to attend specific workshops as mandated by the SARB and NGA(MaSS).

📝 Application Process

• Application Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025
  Late applications will not be considered.
• Submit the following documents along with your application:
  • Examination results
  • Proof of acceptance at a recognised institution (student number)
  • Any other supporting documents

Promo Code

Use PROMO CODE: SARBDSM26 when applying.

🌐 Application Portal

• View details of the scholarship on the official portal.
• Apply directly via the application link.

📌 Important Dates

• Application Deadline: October 31, 2025

This scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring Master's students in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to advance their education and contribute to the financial analytics field in South Africa.

• Scholarship funding