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Looking for a bursary to help fund your education? We have a full summary of all the best South Africa bursaries available for you.
If you’re going to a university in the last year of study, a college student unable to continue paying for tuition, or if you have a good academic background, a bursary might be a perfect choice for you.
The following details will help you find the best bursaries to support your higher education in South Africa.
1. Funza Lushaka Bursary
The South Africa Bursaries Funza Lushaka is a multi-year programme which promotes teaching in public schools. In an region of national significance, bursaries are available to allow qualifying students to complete a full teaching certification.
Applicants for the bursary must have already been admitted into an approved research programme at a recognised institution of higher education.
Selection criteria include the following:
- Commitment to a teaching career which includes: engagement in working with young people; enthusiasm for a teaching career; readiness to meet and resolve challenging challenges and personal integrity;
- Commitment to teach in any school to which a PED can nominate a student;
- Eligibility to a degree or PGCE accepted in two of the focus areas;
- The academic aptitude of the candidate.
Bursaries at Funza Lushaka cover all the necessary expenditures of the beneficiary. Expenditures covered are as follows.
- Tuition
- Full accommodation including meals, books and learning materials, and a small allowance for monthly living expenses
You may qualify for admission to a teaching credential (B Ed or PGCE) or to a Bachelor’s degree (e.g. BSc, B Tech, BA) for at least one major course in a focus field of your preference at a university.
After you have attained admission to a university, you are expected to apply via the Department of Basic Education website for these South African bursaries.
2. Sasol Bursary
The Sasol Bursary plan provides a flexible bundle that covers both financial and growth assistance over the duration of the study cycle.
Awarded bursaries are for full-time engineering and scientific research at universities.
If the study cycle is successfully completed, graduates can be recruited by the Foundation’s Graduate Learning Programme within the Sasol Foundation.
Such South Africa bursaries service include:
- Undergraduate Bursaries: For candidates wishing to pursue Bachelor’s degrees in Engineering or Science, this level includes honors degrees in Sasol’s context.
- The University of Technology Bursaries: For candidates wishing to pursue diplomas or B Eng. Tech degrees at the University of Technology.
- Postgraduate Bursaries: For candidates either who are completing or have completed degrees, and wishing to pursue a Master’s or Doctorate study in Science or Engineering.
When you have what it means to become a member of this inspiring community, the Sasol youth programmes are ready to transform your life.
3. SETA Bursary
There are different SETAs (Sector Training Authorities) which offer students bursaries.
This is in favor of the specified goal of Government to increase the number of students in the disciplines with limited skills. Such bursaries are offered depending on intellectual excellence, evidence of enrolment in a specialty with inadequate expertise and financial need.
There is no clear job arrangement attached to the bursary but candidates are expected to sign an agreement to work in South Africa and often on graduation in a particular field.
Such bursaries do not have employment or job programmes attached. They simply provide funding.
For more information please visit each of the SETA pages listed here.
4. NSFAS Bursary
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) offers loans and awards various NSFAS South Africa bursaries to students at all 25 of the nation’s public universities, as well as the 50 regional FET (Further Education Training) schools.
Instead of having to repay the monetary value as with loans, candidates applying for an NSFAS bursary will enter into a contract for a specified amount of time after their graduation to work in a specific sector in South Africa.
To register for each of the NSFAS bursaries the following specific conditions must be fulfilled. Applicants must:
- Be South African citizens;
- Comply with the entry requirements set by the universities of their choice / have proof of registration or acceptance to said university.
The bursary fund will allow for a portion of, if not all of, the following study-related costs:
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Prescribed books/study material
- Travel
- Tuition
The NSFAS bursary also helps with the expenses of an assistive service or medical resources the student requires to enhance their quality of life.
For any further queries please visit the NSFAS Student Bursaries page.
5. SITA Bursary
Via its ICT bursary programme, SITA aims to build a strategic infrastructure to tackle the existing shortages in information management expertise and fraternity communication technologies.
The bursary targets eligible youth at every recognized South African tertiary institution who are currently pursuing ICT studies.
The bursary scheme will cover:
- Accommodation
- Meal allowance
- Prescribed study material
- Transport
- Tuition fees
Applications can be accessed here.
6. Cyril Ramaphosa Bursary
The Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) is a Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation initiative that helps eligible South African learners from deprived backgrounds in pursuing higher education to develop job skills.
CRET is a non-profit corporation aiming at changing lives and building jobs through openness to education and the development of business.
In the institution accredited by the relevant Higher Education Authority, a CRET bursary is granted for a duration not exceeding 5 years.
Bursary recipients are not required to work for the Foundation upon completion of the student’s qualification. Furthermore, CRET has no duty to give the recipients job opportunities. CRET does not require receivers to repay the amount invested in their studies.
The CRET Bursary Application must need to be done online. To apply for this bursary, click here.
7. Motsepe Foundation Bursary
The Motsepe Foundation distributes more than 350 bursaries to be awarded to STEM (Science, Technology , Engineering and Mathematics), Business and Arts students at some of South Africa’s most prestigious academic institutions, and also includes other research areas linked to:
- Agriculture
- Arts
- Business Studies
- Engineering
- Information Technology
- Mathematics
- Medical Studies
- Science
Find your criteria below in order to apply for the bursaries.
- Student who have achieved a minimum of 70% Pass aggregate, excluding Life Orientation (Matric June Results for shortlisting and final results for appointment);
- Intended to pursue courses preferably related to Mathematics, Medical studies, Sciences, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Technology and Business studies. Students intending to study in other faculties like Law, Agriculture and Arts;
- Proof of financial need.
For any further queries please visit the Motsepe Foundation Bursary Application page.
8. NEF Bursary
The NEF Fellows is a curated programme, honoring the brightest young scientists and technologists in South Africa. Such innovators and future pioneers, of which at least 40 percent are women, will have two big opportunities as a fellow NEF.
Applications to the NEF Fellows programme are available in all areas of research, including social sciences and technology, to South Africans from around the world.
Conditions of eligibility are including the following criteria.
- Hold a PhD in a field of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics or the Social Sciences;
- Have a demonstrated track record of research/findings that have global impact;
- Be able to clearly present their work to an audience in English or French.
You can click here to view further information regarding one of these South Africa bursaries programme.
9. NRF Bursary
The National Research Foundation (NRF) bursaries are awarded at South African public universities to full-time recipients with Honours’ and final year B Tech studies.
The aim of the scholarship is to encourage honours, masters and doctoral candidates to undertake studies in all fields of Science, Engineering, Technology, Social Sciences, and Humanities.
The NRF minimum academic standard is 65 per cent for postgraduate funding. In the year of application, applicants for honor, master’s and doctoral funding must be 28, 30 and 32 years of age or younger, respectively. Effective candidates can receive funds at either the Full Cost Study (FCS) or the Partial Cost Study (PCS).
For enquiries, please visit the NRF sites.
10. PRF Bursary
The Poliomyelitis Research Foundation grants bursaries to achieve the following kinds of qualifications:
- BSc (Honours) – Applicants that have obtained a minimum pass of 60%
- Masters – Applicants that have obtained a minimum pass of 60%
- PhD
Bursaries are usually only awarded to South African residents or individuals with valid South African residence permits. Some Non-South African candidates may be given a small number of bursaries.
The PRF does not endorse full-time job applicants (the wage earning employees).
When the grant is made the recipient of the bursary can not change the study proposal without the PRF’s permission.
All new applications as well as renewal applications must be submitted in their entirety, and the necessary documentation must be attached (including written support from Supervisor).
Refer to this site for complete information and other resources regarding the application.
Final thoughts
Having a bursary will help you get rid of all your money issues. It therefore gives you more time to study, acquire knowledge and secure better grades. You have plenty of time to look into professional growth potential and skills enhancement opportunities.
Since bursaries have been so important for a lot of students, you should look for universities, institutions or organisations providing this kind of South Africa bursaries. Apply for them and put the best foot forward on the college degree to get full scholarship available.
