COMMON BURSARY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
WHO QUALIFIED FOR A BURSARY?
The requirements are different for each bursary programme, and those requirements will be specified in each bursary listing, but here are some common requirements that are seen across most bursary programmes:
You must be a South African citizen (some bursaries even fund South African permanent residents)
You must be either in Matric or have completed Matric
You must have a strong academic record (in Matric and at tertiary level if currently studying) – depending on your field of study, you may also be required to show strong academic results in Mathematics, Science or languages
You must be studying or have applied to study at a recognized tertiary institution in South Africa (including public and private institutes – TVET colleges, Universities and Universities of Technology)
You must be studying or have applied to study for full time studies (part time studies and correspondence studies are sometimes also funded but most bursaries only cover full time studies)
You must be able to prove financial need
Read more common bursary FAQ’s here
HOW CAN I APPLY FOR A BURSARY?
On each bursary listing, you will see instructions on how to apply for the specific bursary programme. Some bursaries have an online bursary application, while others require students to download an application form, which will then be submitted via email, fax, post or hand delivery.
Students are always required to submit supporting documentation when applying, and this may include (but is not limited to):
A certified copy of your South African ID document (or South African permanent residence if applicable)
A certified copy of your academic records (Matric latest results if currently in Matric, Matric certificate if completed Matric, full academic record if currently studying at tertiary level)
Proof of tertiary application, registration or acceptance (on the institutions letterhead)
A motivational letter explaining why you should be selected for the bursary award
Proof of household income showing financial need (this will include your parents/ guardians proof of income or proof of unemployment)
Proof of residence – this only applies if the bursary specifies that it only covers students residing in a certain region
WHAT EXPENSES OR FEES DOES A BURSARY COVER?
Bursaries can be either partial or full. A partial bursary means only a certain amount or portion of your study-related expenses will be covered, while full-cover bursaries usually cover all study related expenses, including: tuition fees, examination fees, prescribed books and study materials, meals, accommodation, transport and sometime a laptop.
Some bursary providers also allow students to complete vacation work at the company, which is required for some degree qualifications.
Read more about which expenses bursaries cover here
DO I HAVE TO PAY BACK A BURSARY?
No – bursary recipients will NOT be required to pay back their bursary.
Some bursary providers require students to work for their company after graduation, for an equal duration of time as funding received. This is beneficial to both the bursary provider and the bursary recipient, as the student has guaranteed employment after completion of their studies and the chance to gain invaluable work experience.
HOW DO I KNOW IF A BURSARY IS LEGIT OR A SCAM?
At SA Bursaries, we aim to ensure that every bursary we publish is legitimate. If you are ever asked to pay money to submit a bursary application, this is an indication that the bursary is not legitimate. If the bursary application requires you to send your application forms and documents to a free email account (ie gmail, yahoo, hotmail etc), then it is likely a scam – application emails will always be required to be sent to the companies official email addresses. If you ever have any concern that a bursary could be a scam, please let us know so that we can further investigate this.
WHERE CAN I FIND BURSARIES FOR THE 2027 ACADEMIC YEAR?
To apply for a bursary for the 2027 academic year, please scroll up this page until you find your field of study, see which bursaries are open for your field and follow the detailed instructions to apply.
