UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE 2025 ACADEMIC YEAR

In view of the announcements of commercial discoveries of oil and gas in the Orange Basin offshore Namibia in Q1 of 2022, the revival of the long-awaited Kudu Gas Power Project and renewed interest in Namibia’s exploration acreage and related drilling campaigns, the Petrofund Board of Trustees has embarked on a strategy to ramp up the training of skills to support the further development of the petroleum industry; Namely: appraisal, field development and eventual production of these economy transforming natural resources.

The Board of Trustees is therefore pleased to announce the availability scholarships for the year 2025, immediately required by the upstream petroleum industry to support the current activities in anticipation of the evolving stages of industry development.

1. Available scholarships

The following scholarships are available to high performing and motivated Namibians who are already working in the oil and gas industry or have an interest to work in the oil and gas industry intending to undertake full-time studies in the following fields only:

1.1  Undergraduate Scholarships (SADC Region only)

• B.Sc. Engineering/B. Engineering (Chemical, Electrical, Industrial &  Mechanical)
• B.Sc. Geosciences
• Deck cadet (offered at SAMTRA, RSA)
• Engineering Cadet (offered at SAMTRA, RSA)

1.2 Postgraduate Scholarships (UNAM only – January intake)

• MSc. Petroleum Geosciences

1.3 Postgraduate Scholarships (Overseas – September 2025 intake) 

The MSc. Postgraduate Scholarships below can also be applied through the Chevening/Petrofund Joint Scholarship program at the Chevening website https://www.chevening.org/namibia/

• MSc. Petrophysics
• MSc Exploration Geophysics/MSc Geophysics
• MSc. Geochemistry/MSc Oil and Gas Chemistry
• MSc. Reservoir Evaluation Management
• MSc. Oil and Gas Engineering/MSc. Petroleum Production Engineering/MSc. Petroleum Engineering
• MSc. Offshore Oil and Gas Engineering/MSc. Offshore Engineering/MSc. Subsea Engineering/MSc Reservoir Engineering
• MSc Drilling and Well Engineering
• MSc. Fire Safety Engineering
• MSc. Process Safety
• MSc Oil and Gas Innovation
• MSc. Port Management
• MSc Corrosion Engineering
• MSc Petroleum Geophysics
• MSc Petroleum Engineering and Project  Development

Applications for Petrofund Scholarships must be submitted through the Petrofund website - https://esaspetrofund.org/login.php

2   REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SCHOLARSHIPS

• Namibian citizenship;
• Outstanding academic records for the undergraduate students currently enrolled at university;
• Excellent passes in mathematics, sciences and English at grade 12 or AS level. Minimum of 30 points in 5 subjects as per the recognized universities scales (current AS Level learners to submit August/September 2024 results).
• Relevant honors or undergraduate degree with an average pass of 60% and above;
• Willingness to commence studies in January 2025 for the SADC region and in September 2025 for the overseas scholarships;
• Pass relevant English tests where applicable;
• Provide proof of admission for the desired course for the overseas scholarships;
• Proof of admission for the SADC region scholarships must be provided by January 2025;
• Provide certified copies of all the required documents;
• Complete a relevant on-line Petrofund scholarship application form on the Petrofund ESAS https://esaspetrofund.org/login.php 
• Age category for the Deck Cadet and Engineering Cadet is 18 to 23 years old
• All Cadet applicants must complete both PETROFUND’s and South African Maritime Training Academy (SAMTRA) application forms. Click here to download
• The SAMTRA application form for admission is provided on our website. Please print, complete and submit it to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 5 November 2024, which is the closing date for admission at SAMTRA

Disclaimer – Universities have the sole right to discontinue/suspend programs. Applicants must ensure that programs listed above are available for offer by the various universities before applying.

3    IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted and invited for oral interviews on dates that will be communicated to the applicants;
• No scholarship application will be considered unless completed online at the website – https://esaspetrofund.org/login.php or https://www.chevening.org/scholarship/namibia/ respectively for the Petrofund and Chevening scholarships;
• Information about universities that offer the advertised postgraduate programs is available Click Here.

4  ENQUIRIES:

All enquiries should be forwarded to the Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Elizabeth Shimwafeni; Tel: +264 61 400 443; E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

5  DEADLINE FOR COMPLETING AND SUBMISSION OF ONLINE APPLICATION FORMS

The closing date for submission of applications is Tuesday, 5 November 2024 @13:00:00 afternoon (12:00 midday UK time). 

APPLICANTS ARE REMINDED THAT APPLICATIONS FOR COURSES OTHER THAN THOSE MENTIONED HEREIN WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.