Computer Science Doctoral studies

• What does the course entail?
• How do I apply?
• What about part-time/foreign students?
• What about the costs and financial support?

If you have other specific questions, please feel free to contact our post-graduate coordinator, Jaco Geldenhuys.

What does the course entail?

The doctoral degree we offer is a three-year course based solely on dissertation work. The goal is to conduct original, cutting-edge research in a particular, specialized field of Computer Science. The student must demonstrate his/her ability to propose, plan, conduct, and publish a research project.

How do I apply?

There are four important steps:

1. You will need a staff member to act as your dissertation advisor. Browse through our Research pages and read more about the kind of work we do. Hint: also look at our staff’s publications to get an idea of the kind of topics they are interested in.
2. If you have found an area of our research that interests you, contact the responsible staff member to discuss potential topics. It is not essential to agree on a specific topic at this stage; the direction of research often evolves over the course of the doctoral degree. It is, however, very important to establish a good working relationship with the staff member and to be obtain their agreement to be your advisor. A face-to-face meeting is essential.
3. Once you have identified and agreed with a suitable advisor, write a letter to our head of department () to ask permission to be admitted to the doctoral programme. Mention the staff member who has agreed to advise you.
4. Fill out a formal application form. If you have access to the internet (if you are reading this, you probably do), you can find the form and details about how to complete it on the Science Faculty website under the “For prospective students / Application forms” heading.

The closing date for registration for 2012 is 30 Mar 2012.  Applications for 2013 are accepted from 1 Apr 2012 to the end of Nov 2012. (but please check the Science Faculty site for the specific date).

What about part-time/foreign students?

The university allows students to undertake degrees on a part-time basis. The doctoral degree then extends over four to six years. Generally speaking, this is much harder and requires self-discipline and dedication; remember that you are embarking on a long-term commitment.

We also welcome applications from foreign students. In addition to the four steps mentioned above, it is critical that you contact the university’s International Office for administrative details about studying at Stellenbosch.

What about the costs and financial support?

Computer Science does not offer any direct support for students, but the university as a whole does, and of course there are many external bursaries available. The university’s portal for prospective students is a good source of information about such bursaries and up-to-date details about tuition fees. (International students should also have a look at the “Prospective students” section of the International Office website.)

Most of our undergraduate courses require teaching assistants and we expect doctoral students to get involved with at least two such courses. Note however, that such positions will not provide enough income to support your studies.

Some advisors also have research funds available to support doctoral students. Note, however, that you cannot rely on this and must talk directly to the advisor about this option.