Agriculture & Environmental Sciences: study guide, tips and eligibility checklist

What this study field covers

Agriculture, agronomy, animal and crop science, soil science, agricultural economics and agri-business, food science, forestry, veterinary and animal health, plus environmental management, conservation and water resources.

Practical placement is part of the field

Many agricultural qualifications include experiential training on a farm, in a plant or at a research station, and funders may expect you to complete it with them. Confirm where placement happens and whether accommodation or transport is provided.

Technical and mechanisation routes

Agricultural equipment and mechanisation employers also run apprenticeships and technical training programmes. These lead to trade or technician qualifications rather than degrees and are listed here as separate opportunity types.

Application tips for agriculture & environmental sciences students

1. 1Be explicit about your willingness to work in rural or farm locations if that is genuinely the case.
2. 2Include a driver's licence if you have one - practical roles in this field frequently mention it.
3. 3Farm, nursery, cooperative or holiday work experience is relevant evidence; describe the tasks you did.
4. 4Check whether the programme funds a degree, a diploma or a trade qualification before applying.
5. 5For environmental qualifications, look at both science funders and public-sector environmental programmes.

Eligibility checklist

Run through this before you submit. It is a general checklist — the funder’s official requirements are the ones that decide your application.

• You meet the qualification the funder names

  Funders usually name the exact qualifications they fund. If your qualification is not named, contact the funder before spending time on the application.

• Your academic record matches what the advert asks for

  Some adverts state a minimum average or specific subject results. Where no minimum is published, submit your most recent full academic record anyway.

• You have the citizenship or residency status required

  Many South African programmes are limited to South African citizens or permanent residents. International scholarships often have the opposite requirement.

• You can meet any financial-need or household-income test

  Need-based programmes ask for proof of household income. Read what counts as proof and who has to sign it before the closing date.

• You can commit to the conditions attached

  Work-back service, vacation work, relocation, minimum pass requirements and annual re-application are all common. Check what the funder attaches to the award.

• You applied through the official channel, before the deadline

  Apply on the funder's own portal or email address, keep your reference number, and save a copy of everything you submitted.

Common questions

Do agricultural bursaries require farm experience?

Not usually as a formal requirement, but relevant practical experience is often welcomed. Follow whatever the official advert states.

Is veterinary study funded here?

Where a funder names veterinary or animal-health qualifications, the listing appears in this study field. Always confirm the qualification named in the advert.