For many South African graduates, postgraduate study can be an exciting next step but also a financially demanding one. Tuition, research costs, study materials and living expenses can make an Honours, Master’s or Doctoral qualification difficult to pursue without financial support.
The HB & MJ Thom Bursary 2027 offers an opportunity for South African postgraduate students at Stellenbosch University who have demonstrated strong leadership beyond their academic studies. Unlike bursaries that focus mainly on marks or financial need, this scholarship places significant emphasis on leadership achievement and participation.
The bursary is available across fields of study and is aimed at full-time postgraduate students. According to the information supplied for the 2027 opportunity, applications opened on 8 July 2026 and close on 30 September 2026.
Stellenbosch University records also identify the HB & MJ Thom Trust as a source of postgraduate funding, with the university describing the funding area as connected to leadership and academic excellence.
What You Should Know First
The most important point is simple: this is not an ordinary academic bursary where strong marks alone are enough.
The HB & MJ Thom Bursary looks for postgraduate candidates who can demonstrate exceptional achievement in at least two recognised leadership or participation categories.
These can include areas such as:
- Student leadership
- Sport
- Cultural activities
- Community service
- Leadership within religious organisations
- Other substantial forms of post-Matric participation and leadership
Stellenbosch University has previously described the award as recognising people with leadership potential alongside a good academic record.
This means your application needs to answer a bigger question than “How well did you perform academically?”
It should demonstrate what you did, what responsibility you accepted, what you achieved and what difference your involvement made.
What Is the HB & MJ Thom Bursary?
The HB & MJ Thom Bursary is a postgraduate funding opportunity administered through Stellenbosch University.
It is associated with the HB & MJ Thom Trust and supports postgraduate students who have demonstrated leadership and academic potential. Stellenbosch University documents list the HB & MJ Thom Trust among the university’s private and prestige postgraduate funding opportunities.
The 2027 opportunity is aimed at students pursuing:
- Honours
- Master’s
- Doctoral study
Importantly, applicants can come from all fields of study.
This makes the opportunity potentially relevant to students in disciplines ranging from engineering and science to education, law, humanities, business, health sciences and other postgraduate fields.
The key differentiator is therefore not your subject area. It is the combination of postgraduate study, academic suitability and exceptional leadership achievement.
Who Can Apply?
Based on the supplied 2027 criteria, applicants should meet the following requirements:
1. South African citizenship
The bursary is intended for South African citizens.
If you are an international student, you should investigate other Stellenbosch University funding opportunities rather than assuming this award applies to you.
2. Postgraduate study at Stellenbosch University
You must be applying for full-time Honours, Master’s or Doctoral study at Stellenbosch University.
This means you should not treat the bursary application as a substitute for university admission.
Stellenbosch University has its own postgraduate application process, and prospective students should complete the relevant academic application separately. The university’s postgraduate information also directs applicants towards its postgraduate application system.
3. An undergraduate qualification
Applicants must have completed the qualification required to progress into their intended postgraduate programme before starting that programme.
For example, someone applying for an Honours degree would normally need the appropriate undergraduate qualification for admission to that Honours programme.
4. Demonstrated leadership
This is arguably the most important requirement.
Applicants must demonstrate exceptional achievement in at least two recognised leadership or participation categories.
Simply writing “I am a good leader” will not be enough.
Your application should provide evidence.
What Counts as Leadership?
One of the biggest challenges applicants may face is understanding the difference between participation and leadership.
For example, being a member of a university sports club demonstrates participation. Becoming a team captain, organising training activities or leading the team through a major competition provides stronger evidence of leadership.
Similarly, attending community-service events is participation. Organising volunteers, coordinating a project and delivering measurable community outcomes demonstrates greater responsibility.
Consider the difference:
Weak example:
Member of a student organisation.
Stronger example:
Served as committee secretary for a student organisation, coordinated monthly meetings, managed communication with members and helped organise three campus events.
The second example tells the selection panel what you actually did.
Build your evidence around four questions
For every leadership activity, ask:
- What was my role?
- What responsibility did I have?
- What did I accomplish?
- Who benefited from my work?
This approach can turn a basic CV entry into meaningful evidence of leadership.
The Two-Category Requirement Matters
Applicants should pay particular attention to the requirement to demonstrate exceptional achievement in at least two categories.
Suppose you have excellent academic results and were captain of a sports team. That may demonstrate strong achievement in one leadership area.
If you also led a community-service project, served in a recognised student structure or held a significant leadership role in a religious organisation, you can demonstrate breadth.
This is important because the application is not simply asking whether you have ever held a leadership position.
It is looking for evidence of exceptional achievement across at least two recognised areas.
A practical example
Imagine an applicant who:
- Served on a university student committee
- Captained a sports team
- Organised community outreach activities
- Achieved strong postgraduate admission results
Their application has several dimensions.
They can explain how they led fellow students, contributed through sport and created an impact through community work.
That creates a much stronger leadership narrative than simply listing titles.
How to Prepare a Strong Application
Step 1: Secure your postgraduate pathway
Before concentrating entirely on the bursary, identify the Stellenbosch University postgraduate programme you intend to study.
Check:
- Admission requirements
- Qualification requirements
- Application deadlines
- Full-time study requirements
- Faculty-specific conditions
APPLY HERE: HB & MJ Thom Bursary 2027
Do not assume that being eligible for the bursary automatically means you have been admitted to Stellenbosch University.
The university’s current information confirms that 2027 applications are open for various postgraduate programmes, although individual programmes can have their own requirements and deadlines.
Step 2: Build your leadership evidence
Go through everything you have done since Matric.
Create a simple list covering:
Student leadership:
Class representatives, student societies, residence structures, committees and other formal roles.
Sport:
Captaincy, coaching, organising competitions or other leadership responsibilities.
Culture:
Arts, music, theatre, cultural organisations and event leadership.
Community service:
Volunteer projects, fundraising, youth programmes, social initiatives and community organisations.
Religious organisations:
Youth leadership, committee roles, outreach programmes and other substantial responsibilities.
Then identify your strongest two or three categories.
Step 3: Quantify your achievements
Whenever possible, include numbers.
Instead of:
Organised community outreach.
Write something closer to:
Coordinated a community outreach project involving 25 volunteers and supporting approximately 100 community members.
The numbers should be truthful and verifiable.
They help a selection panel understand the scale of your responsibility.
Step 4: Prepare a comprehensive CV
The requirement for a comprehensive CV should be taken seriously.
Do not submit a CV that only lists your degree and a few employment positions.
Your CV should provide enough information to demonstrate your development after Matric.
Consider including:
- Academic qualifications
- Leadership positions
- Student involvement
- Sports achievements
- Cultural activities
- Community-service activities
- Religious leadership
- Employment or internships
- Awards
- Major projects
- Relevant achievements
For leadership entries, briefly explain your responsibilities and outcomes.
Step 5: Choose your testimonials carefully
Applicants are expected to provide two testimonials.
This is an important part of the application because testimonials can provide independent confirmation of your leadership qualities.
Choose people who genuinely know your work.
A testimonial is more useful when the person can discuss specific examples of your:
- Leadership
- Responsibility
- Character
- Initiative
- Contribution
- Impact
Avoid selecting someone simply because they have an impressive job title if they cannot meaningfully describe your achievements.
ALSO APPLY FOR: (LPFF) Bursaries 2027
What Does the Bursary Cover?
The current information supplied for the 2027 opportunity confirms the postgraduate scholarship but does not provide a fixed award amount.
Applicants should therefore avoid relying on unofficial websites or social-media posts claiming a specific amount unless that figure can be confirmed by Stellenbosch University.
This distinction matters because bursary values, payment arrangements and funding conditions can change.
The HB & MJ Thom Trust has historically contributed funding towards postgraduate students at Stellenbosch University. For example, the university reported a commitment of R1.07 million supporting 18 postgraduate student leaders in 2021.
However, that historical figure should not be treated as the 2027 award value.
Applicants should confirm the final amount, payment arrangements and any renewal conditions directly with the university.
Common Misunderstandings About HB & MJ Thom Bursary 2027
“My marks are excellent, so I automatically qualify.”
Not necessarily.
Academic performance matters, but the defining feature of this opportunity is its emphasis on leadership. Applicants need to demonstrate exceptional achievement in at least two recognised categories.
“Being a member of a club counts as exceptional leadership.”
Membership alone may not demonstrate leadership.
Explain what responsibilities you held and what you achieved.
“I only need to submit the bursary application.”
No.
The bursary application and Stellenbosch University postgraduate admission process should be treated as separate processes.
You need to meet the admission requirements for your intended programme.
“I need leadership experience in my chosen academic field.”
Not necessarily.
Leadership can come from different areas, including student structures, sport, culture, community service and religious organisations.
“The bursary amount is definitely a fixed amount I saw online.”
Be careful.
The current information supplied does not publish a fixed 2027 amount. Confirm financial details through the university before making decisions based on an unofficial figure.
Application Documents Checklist
Before submitting, prepare the following:
- Comprehensive CV
- Two testimonials
- Academic record
- Relevant qualification certificates
- Evidence of leadership achievements
- Evidence covering at least two recognised categories
- Proof of postgraduate application or admission, where available
- South African identity document
- Any additional documents requested by the official application form
Keep copies of everything you submit.
Most importantly, make sure the information in your CV, testimonials and supporting evidence tells a consistent story.
Best Strategy for Applicants
The strongest approach is to think like a selection panel.
Instead of asking:
“What can I say about myself?”
Ask:
“What evidence proves that I have demonstrated leadership?”
Your application should make the answer obvious.
For example, don’t simply state that you were a student leader. Explain the position, responsibilities, initiative and result.
Don’t merely state that you volunteered. Explain the project, your role and the impact.
Don’t simply list sporting participation. Explain whether you led a team, organised activities or achieved something significant.
This evidence-based approach makes your application easier to assess.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can apply for the HB & MJ Thom Bursary 2027?
The opportunity is aimed at South African citizens applying for full-time Honours, Master’s or Doctoral study at Stellenbosch University, across fields of study, who can demonstrate exceptional post-Matric leadership achievement.
2. Do I need leadership experience in two areas?
Yes. The supplied criteria specify exceptional achievement in at least two recognised leadership or participation categories.
3. Is there a specific academic average required?
The supplied information does not state a single fixed minimum percentage for the 2027 award. However, academic performance remains relevant, and the programme is intended for strong postgraduate candidates with leadership achievement.
4. What is the HB & MJ Thom Bursary amount?
A fixed 2027 award value is not published in the information supplied. Applicants should confirm the amount and payment conditions with Stellenbosch University’s Postgraduate Funding Office.
Key Takeaways
The most important points to remember are:
- The HB & MJ Thom Bursary 2027 supports postgraduate study at Stellenbosch University.
- It is open to South African citizens.
- Honours, Master’s and Doctoral students can be considered.
- All fields of study are included.
- Leadership is a central selection factor.
- Applicants should demonstrate exceptional achievement in at least two categories.
- A comprehensive CV is required.
- Two testimonials are required.
- Strong evidence is more useful than vague leadership claims.
- The bursary application does not replace the university’s postgraduate admission process.
- The stated closing date is 30 September 2026.
- The current information does not confirm a fixed 2027 award amount.
Final Summary
The HB & MJ Thom Bursary 2027 is particularly worth considering for South African graduates whose achievements extend beyond the classroom. Its leadership focus means that applicants should not approach the application as a conventional marks-based bursary.
Your academic record matters, but so does the story behind your leadership: what responsibility you accepted, what you accomplished and what impact you created.
Start early by securing your postgraduate application, identifying your strongest leadership evidence, preparing a detailed CV and arranging two meaningful testimonials. Most importantly, make sure your application demonstrates achievements in at least two recognised categories and is submitted before 30 September 2026.
