Student Opportunities

Opportunities
​A list of training opportunities for early and mid-career professionals in fields relating to marine science. For internship and postdoctoral opportunities, please have a look at the Vacancies page.
Opportunity
Institution
  
Closing Date
  
The Institute for Coastal and Marine Research (and collaborators) is offering a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to share lessons learnt in developing the Algoa Bay Marine Spatial Plan (MSP). The MOOC will be available for free on the Nelson Mandela University's Engage platform and can be accessed at any time by anybody around the World! Click here for further details, if you are interested in doing this Course, kindly register here​. YouTube details: https://youtu.be/_g2PxfPKVOQ
NMU12/31/2025
Webinar​​​ on 4 Dec 2025 at 14h00 SAST
Attend the virtual Masterclass on preparing competitive applications for the 2026 IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP). The session covers program objectives, IIASA’s interdisciplinary research priorities, proposal strategies, alumni insights, and application timelines.Register for the webinar here. 
The summer program will run in Laxenburg, Austria from 1 June to 28 August 2026. Applications close 12 Jan 2026.
NRF, SSARMO &IIASA1/12/2026
ECOP funding to attend AAORIA Intergenerational Dialogue Session​
​13-17 April 2026 | Brazil
Are you an Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) passionate about shaping the future of our oceans? Join the 2026 AllAtlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) Forum in Brazil during 13-17 April 2026. The selected candidate will receive full funding to the Forum and side events, and will be given an opportunity to collaborate with senior ocean experts, contribute to policy discussions, and be part of a global effort to advance ocean sustainability. Submit your expression of interest with supporting documents. Open to SA Nationals only. Please submit any queries to n.duplessis@saeon.nrf.ac.za
SAEON, DSI & OKEANO1/15/2026
The University of Cape Town's Department of Biological Sciences and the DFFE are seeking an M.Sc. student for 2026 to research the larval development, growth, and settlement of the Cape sea urchin (Parechinus angulosus) under aquaculture conditions. This project is critical for developing a new, locally suitable aquaculture species for the Western Cape. The student will conduct research at the DFFE Marine Aquaculture Research Facility in Sea Point and will work as part of an international team, drawing on previous success with Tripneustes gratilla. Applicants must hold a B.Sc. Honours degree in a related biological science and should seek independent bursary funding, though funding options exist through the LIMAQUA International Joint Laboratory. ​No closing date indicated.
UCT & DFFE1/22/2026
The Bergen Summer Research School at the University of Bergen, Norway, will host 100 international PhD students from 1 to 11 June 2026. The theme, "Ocean Expectations," focuses on collaboratively developing solutions for urgent global challenges related to the sea, including climate change, food security and justice. Participants will engage in two weeks of intensive, interdisciplinary training across five parallel courses and two mandatory sessions, aiming to equip them to advance sustainable and equitable futures for our oceans.
UiB2/1/2026
21 Jan 2026 | Kirstenbosch, Cape Town​
Unlock the potential of Ocean Accounting to drive informed decisions in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP). This intensive single-day workshop is designed to introduce participants to the core concepts of ocean accounting and demonstrate its practical application as a robust decision support tool for MSP. Participants will engage in a practical role-play exercise, requiring them to make and defend real-world spatial planning decisions. Using ocean accounting information, attendees will learn to evaluate trade-offs across economic sectors, critically assessing the associated social community and environmental costs and benefits.
IOI-SA & Partners12/15/2026