Choose the exact project direction
Narrow the topic to one system, one method family, one dataset or testbed, and one main contribution.
Revision guide
Make the draft yours.
The scaffold gives you a structure. The winning application comes from your clarity, your evidence, and your ownership of the project direction.
Compulsory revised draftThursday, 2 July 2026, 08:00 SAST
Final NRF submissionFriday, 3 July 2026 via NRF Connect
Turn the build into a research question
Use the Engineering vs Research page to identify the question, evidence, baseline, and contribution behind the thing you want to build.
Rewrite every paragraph
Do not copy wording from the scaffold. Keep the logic if it helps, but write the proposal in your own voice.
Check every claim
Replace placeholder or broad claims with evidence you have actually checked. Add sources only after reading them.
Align with national imperatives
Explain the South African problem, why the work matters now, and what a Master's-scale contribution can realistically deliver.
Make technology transfer concrete
Name the prototype, workflow, tool, testbed, controller, dashboard, dataset, or method that could create value beyond the dissertation.
Submit the revised draft
Submit your Thursday version by Thursday, 2 July 2026, 08:00 SAST. Final NRF submission remains your responsibility through NRF Connect.