How to Apply

1. Steps for Application:

• Make contact with an academic at Stellenbosch University
• Provide the academic with a research proposal and ask whether he/she be willing to supervise your intended research at Stellenbosch University
• Applications should be submitted 3 months prior to the intended arrival date
• Once all needed documentation is received by SU International, a Letter of Admission will be issued with which a student can apply for a visa to South Africa at the nearest embassy

Unfortunately, we have no room for emergency applications processing.

The following information is needed for processing an Affiliate application:

• Completed Application Form
• Contract with Student
• Proof of Passport
• Academic transcript
• CV
• Proof of Medical Insurance

For guidance, please make use of the Guideline for prospective Affiliate Researchers

2. Affiliate Processing Timeline and Arrival Arrangements:

Here follows the order of the application process:

1. Apply for affiliate admission here, after you have secured an academic host.
2. Await your admission letter – this can take anything from 2 weeks to over a month
3. Use that admission letter as proof of your student status, and contact a South African medical insurance company to buy a South African medical insurance (if you are staying longer than 90 days)
4. Apply for one of the following visa types: study permit or research permit or visitor’s vssa to South Africa at your nearest South African embassy

If your period of research admission to Stellenbosch University is a period of less than 90 days, you might be eligible to enter into South Africa on a landing visa only - check your citizenship according to this list. This means that you need not apply for a visa prior to entering South Africa. A student whose registration period at Stellenbosch University is a period of 90 days or less, can be registered on the 90 day landing visa type. But any student whose intended period of registration is more than 90 days, need to apply for the mentioned visa types at point 5. No exceptions will be made, and a student who arrives on a landing visa when the registration period exceeds the 90 day landing visa will be refused a registration.

           5. See point 4 below regarding Medical Insurance Requirements.

Application Deadline: 3 months prior to intended arrival 

3. Intellectual Property Agreement:

You will see in your Contract with Student that Stellenbosch University owns the intellectual property rights in your work while you are here (refer to section 4.4). This is because South African law requires that intellectual property (such as research and academic work) generated at a publicly financed institution, such as the University, must be used to the benefit of the South African public.

Unless we enter into a specific agreement with you or your home university, all intellectual property rights that may be generated by the work you conduct in the course of your studies at the SU (whether the work is submitted or not) will belong to the University. This includes copyright, patent rights, design rights and all related know-how. If you are wondering why this is the case, please refer to our Intellectual Property Policy

Please contact Mia for assistance in this regard.

Note you will not be allowed to register without the Affiliate Contract.

4. Medical Insurance Requirements:

• Proof that the medical insurance is in your name
• Indication of the beginning and end date of validity (*ensure period of validity to cover the arrival date until the departure date)
• Proof that the medical insurance is valid in South Africa

Note that proof of Medical Insurance is not a prerequisite for your application submission. However, proof of medical insurance should be emailed to the Affiliate coordinator as soon as the South African medical insurance has been bought after the students receives the admission letter. Without proof of admission received for a South African tertiary education institution, it is in fact impossible to buy a South African student medical insurance.

Students can choose from any of the below South African provider companies’ student health insurance options. Note that most companies will require you to forward your admission letter as proof that you have student status for the full period of time you are to apply for your medical insurance.

Click here for Momentum Health.

Click here for CompCare Wellness.