Drs Helene-Mari van der Westhuizen and Koot Kotze are no strangers to the personnel and student community of Stellenbosch University's (SU) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS).

Although both of them obtained their MB,ChB degrees cum laude in 2015, their legacy is still visible. Kotze helped to establish the Meerenhof men's serenade group, and Van der Westhuizen established the Medical Orchestra. They were cofounders of the non-governmental organisation TB Proof and were closely involved with the Safer Work Hours campaign. Van der Westhuizen received the Dean's Award for Leadership in 2015 and Kotze the Chancellor's Medal. This power couple are married and form a formidable research team. They have co-written two articles that were published in international journals.

The cherry on top is the recent good news that these two alumni have both been awarded coveted Rhodes bursaries, that will enable them to further their studies at Oxford University in England. According to Ms Annette Gibson, coordinator of the bursaries for Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland and Namibia), it is a first in the history of this pool. “We previously had married couples who were both awarded a bursary, but never in the same year," she explains. Furthermore, women have only been allowed to apply for Rhodes bursaries since 1976.

“We applied for the bursaries in August last year. I was in Rhenish Girls' High and therefore qualified for the Paul Roos Rhodes bursary. Koot applied in the national pool," says Van der Westhuizen.

She was informed in the middle of August that she had been successful, but her husband had to wait until December for the outcome. “During the interviews in the final round, the applicants gathered in an atrium where the names of the successful candidates were announced. I wasn't sure whether I had heard correctly when the chairman read out my name, and had to fight back the tears when a friend confirmed it," Kotze recalls. For Van der Westhuizen this news was comparable to winning the Lotto. “We now not only have the opportunity to pursue our postgraduate studies at the best university in the world (according to the most recent Times Higher Education World University Rankings), but it's super special to be able to share this opportunity with my husband."

They had a plan B in case only one of them was successful. “The other one would investigate alternative funding for postgraduate studies or apply for work at the United Kingdom's National Health Service. Realistically, I thought I would be the one who would just go along, adopt a dog and maybe try my hand at writing a book," Kotze says.

Both these doctors want to apply for courses that will enable them to make a positive difference in the South African health context. The bursary doesn't mean automatic selection for a study programme and they have already applied for more than one programme.

“After Oxford, I would like to make a difference in disease and death prevention in developing countries, and specifically also in South Africa, whether it be by means of research, evidence-based health care or a combination of the two. It will depend on the direction our studies take us during the next few years," Kotze says.

Van der Westhuizen also regards the Rhodes bursary as an opportunity to help create a more just and healthy world. “The bursary was mainly created by means of the wealth that Cecil John Rhodes accumulated at the cost of South Africans. The bursary creates the opportunity to correct the injustice that South Africans still experience daily, by helping young people who are committed to South Africa's future to achieve that." In ten years' time she sees herself and her husband working in a stimulating and meaningful South African environment. 

The couple encourages other students to apply for Rhodes and similar bursaries. “If you think you have a chance, apply. If you don't think you have a chance, still apply! Whatever the outcome, you will learn a lot," Van der Westhuizen advises. Kotze agrees: “You can only be considered for a bursary if you apply. The process in itself is an excellent learning opportunity. It is of great value to contemplate your plans for the future and to reflect on how you want your previous professional and personal experiences to influence your career."

The couple are currently completing their community year at Zithulele Hospital near Mqanduli in the Eastern Cape and will commence their studies at Oxford in October.

• Learn more about the Times Higher Education World University Rankings at www.timeshighereducation.com