The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Internship Programme 2025/27 for South Africa Unemployed Graduates

Deadline: 17th March 2025

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Internship Programme 2025/27 for South Africa Unemployed Graduates – The HSRC is pleased to open the call for applications to its internship programme 2025-27, in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation. Launched on 18 February via the HSRC’s digital platforms, the call is open to both graduates and host institutions.

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Internship Programme 2025/27 Eligibility

Unemployed Graduates that meet the following criteria:

• South African citizen or South African Permanent Resident (with a valid South African Identity Document).
• Graduates that are 35 years of age or younger at the time of appointment to the internship programme.
• Hold a NQF level 7 to 9 qualification from a DHET – accredited higher education institution.

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Host Institutions

• In the Science, Engineering, Technology (SET), Research, Development and Innovation, Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) disciplines;Able to identify mentors who have been employed in the host institution on a long-term contract (at least 2 years) or in a permanent position.
• Have mentors willing to allocate time for mentoring, training and support for interns
• Have infrastructure for the interns to work namely workstations, computers and other resources including platforms for working remotely to ensure adequate work exposure for the interns.
• Willing to participate in the mentor forums and training programmes provided by the internship programme.

Remuneration

The internship provides monthly stipends for participants throughout the duration of the internship, administered through the HSRC.

Duration

The internship programme is offered for a period of 24 months.

Recruitment Process

The HSRC publishes two sets of calls;

• Step 1: invite hosting institutions to express their interest in hosting interns by expressing their intern profile requests.
• Step 2: Invite graduates to apply for the internship.
• Step 3: Grant successful hosts access to the intern portal to identify their relevant interns aligned to the qualification.
• Step 4: Hosts identify and interview shortlisted candidates and communicate with the HSRC if they have found an intern to match their needs.
• Step 5: HSRC undertakes verification of eligibility of the applicant and, if approved, then facilitates the contract.

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Who can apply for HSRC Internship Programme

To be eligible, interns MUST meet the following minimum requirements:

• Be a South African citizen or South African Permanent Resident (with a valid South African Identity Document).
• Non-South Africans are not eligible to apply;
  • Should be currently unemployed and 35 years of age or younger at the time of appointment to the internship programme; A graduate holding any of the following:
• NQF Level 7 Bachelor’s, Advanced Diploma, or B-Tech Degree;
• NQF Level 8 Bachelor’s Hons Degree and Postgraduate Diploma;
• NQF Level 9 Master’s Degree or M-Tech.
• Hold a qualification in Science, Engineering and Technology, Research, Development, Innovation, Social Sciences and Humanities or related disciplines and SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED THEIR STUDY at the time of submitting the application.

The following applies to candidates who are NOT ELIGIBLE to be appointed as DSI-HSRC interns:

• Candidates who hold a Diploma at BELOW NQF level 7 as well as PhD at

NQF level 10;

• Candidates who would be registered full-time for study
• Registered Doctoral (PhD, DPhil and DTech) students; and
• Candidates who hold DSI-funded scholarships or bursaries during the internship year.
• Candidates who are past beneficiaries of the DSI-NRF or DSI-HSRC Internship programme .

APPLY HERE FOR HSRC Internship Programme