Maize Trust Bursary Applications

About Maize Trust

The Maize Trust is a trust that focuses on the improvement of the maize industry in South Africa. It was formed in 1998 and succeeded the Maize Board. It also inherited a reserve fund worth two hundred million Rand.

The Maize Trust now utilizes the amount in various activities that collectively contribute to the production and distribution of maize in the country.

The trust does not employ anyone. Instead, it appoints an investment adviser on a contractual basis who then works for the Trustees.

Its main objective is to fund various research programmes on maize production and marketing. The trust also offers support for running training programmes and technical assistance.

Maize Trust Bursary Applications

The Maize Trust also runs the Maize Trust Bursary Scheme to help meet the labor demand in the sector. For the academic year 2022, it will award students who want to pursue a Master’s or Doctoral degree within the maize industry.

Here are some of the fields of study accepted for the bursary scheme:

• Agricultural Economics
• Agricultural Engineering
• Agricultural Meteorology
• Agricultural Writers
• Molecular Biology
• Plant Biochemistry
• Plant Breeding
• Plant Entomology
• Plant Nematology
• Plant Physiology
• Plant Virology
• Soil Science
• Weed Science
• Soil Microbiology
• Data Science

Fields other than the above may also qualify, but they must benefit the maize industry as determined by the Trust.

The bursary value will depend on the level of study. For students pursuing a Masters by Dissertation, they will receive R95,000 per annum each for two years. PhD and Doctoral Research students will receive a higher amount of R125,000 per annum for three years.

Students will receive the first bursary installment in January of 2022. The Trust will disburse the subsequent installments as per the progress reports submitted by the students and the supervisor.

The bursary scheme requires that students to work in the maize industry for the duration of the bursary benefit received. Past that, they may work anywhere.

Bursary Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the bursary, students must first fulfill the eligibility criteria laid out by the Trust. Failing to do so will result in rejection. Therefore, before applying, cross-check with the eligibility requirements for the Maize Trust Bursary, which are:

• Must be a South African citizen at the time of applying
• Must have completed Matriculation
• Must be studying full-time at a South African tertiary institution (must be recognized by the Maize Trust)
• Must be studying in one of the fields of study mentioned above
• Must not be receiving funds from other bursaries or scholarships (unless the Trust approves of it)
• Must be willing to conduct a dissertation/thesis on a topic approved by Maize Trust
• Must be willing to work in the South African maize industry after the completion of the study programme

Besides the above requirements, you must agree to all the terms and conditions of the Maize Trust Bursary specified in the Policies and Procedures preamble. Also, there are terms in Section E of the application form which you must agree to.

How to Apply?

If you fulfill all the eligibility criteria, then move forward with the application process. It’s simple and quick but does require diligence.

The first step is to complete the Maize Trust Bursary online application form. The form has six sections, and you need to complete the first four, with the fifth being a Legal Undertaking which you must agree to, and the sixth being a checklist. Answer all the questions correctly and move on to the next section.

Documents Required

The next step is to upload the documents required for this bursary. Attach all of the following documents along with your application before sending:

• ID documents (not older than three months)
• Colour ID photo
• Updated Curriculum Vitae
• Proof of tertiary registration and fee statements (must be on institution letterhead)
• Tertiary academic records, including the most recent results (must be on institution letterhead)
• A brief of the proposed research (title, description, grant chart)
• A motivation letter supporting your application

Closing Date

The last date to apply for the Maize Trust Bursary is 30 September Annually.

Contact Details

Get in touch with the bursary provider at:

• Telephone – 012 807 3658
• Email – marilette@llagric.co.za
• Online Contact page – agrimanage.co.za/contact-us/

Please do NOT contact the Maize Trust if this bursary has already closed. View our other bursaries open for application here:Science Bursaries