Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE): Bursaries 2026

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) is inviting students to apply for their bursary programme, for the 2026 academic year.

Bursaries will be awarded for studies in the following fields:
 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMMES (Ref: EP/01/2026)

• BSc Degree/ Hons/ MSc/ PhD in Environmental Management/Science
• BSc Conservation Ecology/Biodiversity/ Biology
• BSc Marine Biology
• B Degree/Hons/ MSc Engineering Management / Civil Engineering
• B Sc/ Hons Geographical information System
• MSc Ecological Economics
• Postgraduate Diploma/ Masters in Sustainability Learning
• ND/Degree/Hons/MA/PhD Project Management
• ND/Degree/Hons Resource Economics/Social Innovation

FORESTRY MANAGEMENT (Ref: FOR/01/2026)

• B Sc Hon Natural Resource Management
• ND/Degree/Hons/MSc/PHD in Forest Science / Forestry
• ND/Degree/Hons/MSc/PHD in Forest Management
• Post Graduate Diploma in Forestry / Forest Science
• B Agric Hons
• B Agric Hons in Rural Development Planning
• B. Sc Forestry
• BSc Hons in Wildlife Management
• MSc in Conservation Ecology

CHEMICALS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT (Ref: CWM/01/2026)

• ND/ B Tech/ M Tech/ D Tech (Environmental Science/ Environmental Management/
• Environmental Health/ Environmental law/ Environmental education)
• ND/ B Tech/ M Tech/ D Tech Waste Management
• BA Degree/Hons/MA Geography
• MSc in Environmental Pollution / Ecotoxicology/ Remediation studies
• ND/BA Degree/Hons/MA Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry and Biotechnology
• MSc in Exposure Science (specialising in environmental science)
• ND/Degree/Hons/MA Civil Engineering
• ND/Degree/BSc Hons/Masters in Geohydrology
• MSc/MTech Biochemistry / Microbiology
• BCom/ Postgraduate Diploma/ Data science
• ND/ B Degree Risk Management

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT (Ref: FISH/01/2026)

• Maritime Studies (related to harbour/ports – fishing harbours) /Maritime law
• MSc Aquaculture
• BSc/Hons/MSc/PhD Oceanography, Marine Biology, Ichthyology, Environmental Science,
• Aquaculture and Fisheries
• B Sc Marine / Fisheries Biology
• Hons/MSc/PhD Zoology (freshwater ecology or specialising in the field of freshwater
• fisheries)
• Bachelor’s degree, Post graduate studies, B Tech, BSc Hons, MSc, PhD, (Marine biology,
• Aquaculture, Environmental Science/management, Fisheries Science, Aquatic Science, or a
• related field)
• Actuarial Science
• MSc Applied Mathematics/ Statistics with population dynamics modelling
• BTech, Beng Tech or BSc Eng in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering
• Master’s in international marine and environmental law/ policy/ governance/ Multilateral
• negotiations
• BSc/MSc in GIS and Remote Sensing / Environmental Informatics
• Postgraduate Diploma/ MSc in Climate Change and Sustainable Development
• Post graduate Diploma in Accounting Science/MPhil Development Finance
• Hons/Masters Economics, Agriculture Economics, Fisheries Economics

OCEANS AND COASTS (Ref: OC/01/2026)

• BSc in Coastal and marine engineering – coastal erosion, rehabilitation and restoration
• Maste’s/ PhD degree in town and regional planning, Architecture, Urban Design and surveying
• Masters/ PhD degree in climate change, adaptation, mitigation, policy and sustainability
• Advanced diploma/ B Tech mechanical/ B Tech/BSc/ MTech/ Meng Engineering
• BSc Hons / MSc / PhD Physical Oceanography
• BSc Hons / MSc/ PhD in Marine Spatial Planning
• B Degree/ Hons/ master’s in economics / environmental economics / Maritime Economics
• BSc Hons/ MSC/ PhD Marine Biodiversity & Taxonomy (systematics)
• BSc Hons /MSc/ PhD Marine Biology
• BSc Hons/ MSc Biochemistry or Genetics

BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION (Ref: B&C/01/2026)

• ND/Degree Environmental Management / B Environmental Science Degree/ Biological science
• B Sc Natural Sciences Management, Geography and Hydrology
• ND/ Degree Eco tourism and game range management
• ND/ BA Degree Environmental economics
• ND / BTech / Post Graduate Diploma, Nature Conservation
• B Degree in Ecological Engineering Sciences
• B Degree in Resource Economics
• N Dip/BTech Nature conservation
• BSc Zoology and Botany
• Environmental legislation/ Law - BSc Environmental Management/ legislation/ Law
• Geology - BSc Geology
• ND/ BSC Environmental Resource Management, Hydrology and Water Resources Management

CLIMATE AND CHANGE AND AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT (Ref: CCAQ/01/2026)

• ND /B Sc Environmental Science
• ND/B Sc Environmental Management
• B Degree Earth and Environmental Sciences
• B Degree Natural Science
• B Sc Chemistry
• B Sc Geography / Archaeology and Environmental
• ND/ B Degree in Sustainable Development 

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE SECTOR MONITORING (Ref: RCSM/01/2026)

• LLB (Major courses: administrative law, legislative drafting, Environmental Law)
• LLM
• B.A Law, A Diploma, or a Degree in Paralegal
• Bachelor of Environmental Sciences/Management
• BSC majoring in Geography, Geoinformatics
• Bachelor of Environmental Management majoring in Environmental Impact Assessment

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying:

• You must be a South African citizen
• You must be currently in Matric or you have completed Matric
• You must be studying or intend on studying full time, towards a qualification in one of the fields listed above
• You must be studying or intend on studying at a recognised and accredited tertiary institution in South Africa
• You must NOT be employed
• You must NOT be an employee of the DFFE
• You must NOT have previously participated in the public service internship program

Please note:

• The bursary will be awarded for the maximum value of R50 000.
• After graduation, bursary recipients will be required to participate in the internship program.