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Faculty Research Funding

The Faculty Research Office is responsible for the administration of several research funds. Some of these funds exist due to the generosity of alumni and donors who have established Trusts or Endowment Funds. Other funds are made available by the Faculty and the University. Members of the Faculty Research Committee play a vital role in reviewing funding applications submitted by Health Sciences staff and students.

Postgraduate students and staff members are also encouraged to make use of RESEARCHConnect (https://search.researchconnect.eu) which is a search tool used to source funding. Click here to view the user guide. Should you need login details and training contact the Research Office. 

Faculty Grants

The Faculty Research Office co-ordinates the application and award processes for the following grants: (click on the name of each fund or grant for more information)

Having trouble finding information online? Please contact us.

1. FRC Conference Travel Grants

The call for applications for the FRC Conference Travel Grants 2025 is currently closed due to lack of funds. 

Only Emergent Researchers are eligible to apply. Applications must be made a minimum of six weeks before the conference. 

If you are an emergent researcher in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and you would like to attend a conference either locally or abroad, the Faculty has a limited amount of funding to cover conference expenses.

You will need to complete an application form and submit it to Mr Moraba Meela (Research Projects Officer) in room 332, Phillip V. Tobias Health Sciences Building, Parktown. You can contact him on research.health@wits.ac.za or 2711 717 2023.

Your application must reach the Health Sciences Research Office no less than six weeks prior to the conference.

As with all funding applications, certain requirements must be met if you are to be successful in your request for conference funding. As soon as you start thinking of attending a conference, please download the appropriate document below, which outlines the requirements for application, including what information you will need to attach to the form:

FRC Conference Travel Funding Application Form 2025

Rules for local conferences 2025

Rules for regional conferences 2025 (southern/central Africa, includes Mauritius and the Seychelles)

Rules for international conferences 2025 (beyond Central Africa; other continents)

Please note that travel funding will not be granted to an individual twice in the same year and you cannot apply for a local and overseas conference in a single year. One year, one conference.

NB: Travel Funding will only be granted to Emergent Researchers. Please view the 2025 Criteria for Emergent Researchers.  

2. FRC Equipment Funding

The call for Health Sciences Capex equipment funding is now closed. 

The call is intended to provide support for small pieces of equipment in order to augment equipment that is already available in the Faculty. Please find the application form below:

FHS Application Form for Minor Equipment Research Grant 2024

Who may apply:

Academic members (Lecturer and above: full-time or part-time) of the Faculty of Health Sciences including joint staff. Only one application per member will be accepted.

Award Type:

Research equipment

Cost of equipment:

  • Minimum - not less than R30 000.00
  • Maximum - not greater than R70 000.00 including VAT, import duties, installation costs and/or other costs.
  • Applicants intending to procure equipment that costs more than R70 000.00 are welcome to apply provided they can top-up with funds they have available in the Wits Health Consortium only.

Funds must be spent by the 30th November 2024. No Roll-over will be allowed.

3. Grants and Endowments (including the calls for the FRC Individual Grants and the Iris Ellen Hodges Research Grants, click here for further details)

All Postgraduate students (including MMed/MDent) are also encouraged to submit applications for grants.

Grants to individuals administrated by the Faculty Research Committee (FRC):

The Call for Applications for grants to individuals for research in 2025 is open and will close on 13 February 2025. 

This call covers all applications for:

  1. MMED/MDENT, MSc, and PhD research grants from MFREF funds, and
  2. Individual grants from FRC funds

Please note that established researchers wishing to apply for the Iris Ellen Hodges Grants should use the specific separate application form available from this year.

The Call for Applications for the Iris Ellen Hodges research grants is now open and will close on 13 February 2025. 

This call covers all applications for:

  1. Iris Ellen Hodges Cardio-vascular Research Trust, and
  2. Iris Ellen Hodges Stress and Emotional Problems

Applications will only be considered from established researchers, who are members/ joint members of staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand. 

Other grants to individuals:

The Call for Applications for Seed Funding for research in 2024 is now closed.

The Call for Applications for Start up Funds for research in 2024 is now closed.

4. Fellowships
5. Griffin Trust Fund

Griffin Trust Fund call for applications for applications is now closed.

The generous donation of R900 000 from the H E Griffin Trust, offered to fund research into the field of cancer that would be of major significance to South Africa, was confirmed by the Trustees towards the end of 2004.

Eligibility: researchers in the field of colon and oesopheal cancer. The call is only open to members of the Griffin Trust Working Group.

6. Connective Tissue Diseases Research Fund

CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASES RESEARCH FUND - call for applications for applications is now closed

We invite researchers with an interest in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases to apply for funding.

The fund will support research in either clinical or laboratory aspects of rheumatic diseases, preference being given to the following conditions:

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Scleroderma
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Where tenable Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, its Affiliated teaching hospitals, and National Health Laboratory Services Conditions open only to full-time Wits staff, NHLS staff, joint staff and Postgraduate students.

Preference will be given to applicants studying towards a degree or staff members wishing to complete a paper.

The fund will not support requests for:

  • Capital Equipment
  • Computing Costs
  • Use of University Facilities
  • Conference Attendance &Travel
  • Local Travel and Transport Costs
  • Research Assistants/Consultants
  • Publication Costs
  • Insurance

The value is at the discretion of the Committee and ranges from R10 000 – R35 000.

Tenure: One year, renewal.

National Research Foundation Call Schedule

NRF logo

To view NRF calls for 2024, click here. For general application guidelines, click here. All NRF applications must be completed on the NRF Online submission system http://nrfconnect.nrf.ac.za

 

The Medical Research Council calls schedule

To view calls click here. For more information visit the MRC webpage: http://www.mrc.ac.za/home

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