South African Medical Research Council Self-initiated Research Grants Programme in South Africa 2017 – 2018
Applications are invited for SAMRC Self-initiated Research Grants to study in South Africa. South African students are eligible to apply for this grant.
For the purposes of the SIR Programme, a research institution is defined as a legally constituted institution or organization wherein research is one of the primary purposes for its existence, including the training of postgraduate students. The broad thrust of the organization’s research, basic or applied, should be towards the advancement of knowledge. Research institutions include universities, science councils and other organizations whose core business is conducting research and/or training postgraduate students.
The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) was established in 1969 with a mandate to improve the health of the country’s population, through research, development and technology transfer, so that people can enjoy a better quality of life. The scope of the organization’s research projects includes tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular and non-communicable diseases, gender and health, and alcohol and other drug abuse.
Course Level: Grants are available to pursue research. Applications are invited in two different categories as follows: 1) Early-career researchers and 2.) Mid-level and established researchers.
Study Subject: Grants are awarded in various areas of health. Research priority areas that will be considered in the 2017 SIR call are as follows:
- Understanding of the mental health burden of SA
- Innovations in cancer treatment
- Addressing the Diabetes Disease burden of South Africa.
- How to reduce the incidence of traumatic Brain injuries in South Africa
- Making nutrition and exercise interventions accessible to the public
- Stroke and Hypertension
- Understanding the cost of disease management in South Africa: Health economic studies related to the NCD disease burden of South Africa
- Validation of Indigenous Herbal Remedies for the disease burden in Africa
- Innovative approaches to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
Scholarship Award: SIR grants are in the amount of up to R200 000 per year for a maximum period of three years. These funds provide support for research expenses and it is expected that the researchers/ applicants already have in place the necessary equipment and facilities required for the proposed research.
Number of Scholarships: Not Known
Scholarship can be taken in South Africa
Eligibility: The following criteria must be met in order for applicants to be eligible for the scholarship:
The primary target of the 2017 SIR call is early-stage investigators; however, applications are invited from both early-stage investigators and mid-level and established researchers, as defined in the table below. Applications from mid-level and established researchers are expected to have a strong focus on capacity building. Applications are limited to South African citizens and permanent residents.
Category 1: Early stage investigators
- Minimum MBChB, BDS, BChD or PhD
- 1-5 years (conducting research / in a research post) since completion of Ph.D., BDS, BChD or MBChB (post-graduate students are not eligible to apply)
- Must have secured a commitment from the host university or research institution listed in the application to host the applicant and project for the length of the grant.
Category 2: Mid-level and established researchers
- Minimum MBChB, BDS, BChD or PhD
- >5 years (conducting research / in a research post) since completion of Ph.D., BDS, BChD or MBChB – preferably PI or study coordinator on at least 3 studies
- Must be in an established academic post, i.e. permanently employed, or in a long-term contract of employment (at least for the duration of the project) salaried by the university or research institution.
Nationality: South African students are eligible to apply for this grant.
South Africa Scholarships
How to Apply: The mode of application is online. All eligible applications must be submitted using the SIR Grants online system, Proposal Central, managed through Altum (see Appendix A) and must:
- Be signed off online by the applicant
- Be approved or validated online by an authorized person in the research administration office of the institution
- Reach the MRC by midnight on 25 August 2017. Late applications will not be accepted.
Application Checklist
- Completed SIR Grant Online Application
- Completed and signed SIR Grant Approval Form
- Applicant’s Curriculum Vitae – maximum length of 5 pages, including a biographical sketch (professional work experience, qualifications, research activities) and publications in the last 3 years of active research
- Ethics Clearance Certificate or a letter indicating that the proposal has been submitted to the institution’s Ethics Committee. Where ethics approval is not required, please submit a letter from the Institutional Research Office stating why it is not required.
- Completed SIR Grant Reviewer Nomination Form
- Completed SIR Grant Budget Form
- Completed SIR Milestone Table
Application Form
Application Deadline: Application deadline is August 25, 2017.
Scholarship Link
See Also
International Scholarships for Namibians to Study Abroad