Bursaries Still Open for
South African Students in 2026 —
The Updated List
Government bursaries, corporate programmes, sector funds, and missing-middle support — every bursary currently accepting applications, with closing dates, funding amounts, and what each one actually covers.
The major bursary window in South Africa runs from August to November the year before. Most students know this — and most students miss it anyway. What many don’t know is that a meaningful number of bursaries remain open well into the current academic year, with some accepting applications right through to April and beyond.
This list is not exhaustive — there are hundreds of bursaries in South Africa at any given time. What it is, is verified. Every bursary below was confirmed open or rolling as of March 2026, with real closing dates, real funding amounts, and honest notes on what each one requires. While many major bursaries opened in mid to late 2025 and closed before the end of the year, several corporate, government, and trust-funded bursaries remain open in early 2026, particularly for undergraduate students in priority fields.
Government & SETA Bursaries
Government and SETA bursaries are funded by the public sector and sector education authorities. They tend to cover the most ground — tuition, accommodation, books, and living allowances — and many come with a work-back obligation rather than a repayment requirement. That is a critical distinction: if you fulfil the service contract, you owe nothing.
The FASSET Matric Top Achiever Bursary for 2026 targets high-performing 2025 matric leavers who obtained 75% or above in their final results, and who are enrolled or accepted to study Finance, Accounting, IT, Actuarial Science, or Economics at a public university. Funding is capped at R100,000 per year and covers tuition fees, prescribed textbooks, accommodation, and meal allowances.
The household income threshold must not exceed R1,000,000 per year — which is notably higher than NSFAS’s R350,000 cap, meaning students from the so-called “missing middle” who don’t qualify for NSFAS can still access this funding. This is one of the most valuable bursaries currently open in South Africa for finance-track students.
The Funza Lushaka Bursary is one of South Africa’s most important education funding opportunities for future teachers. For 2026, Funza Lushaka covers tuition fees, accommodation with meals, study materials, and a monthly living allowance. New applicant applications closed on 24 January 2026 — if you missed this cycle, mark October 2026 as the next opening for 2027.
For students already receiving Funza Lushaka funding: returning bursars must have attained a minimum of 50% in all modules and be proceeding to the next year of study. After graduation, recipients must teach one year in a public school for every year of funding received. The Provincial Education Department places you in a school — and you must accept that placement. This is not optional. Students who do not fulfil the obligation repay the full bursary with interest.
The Department of Tourism is inviting students to apply for their bursary programme for the 2026 academic year. The bursary will be awarded for the remainder of the approved study period and renewed annually, subject to satisfactory academic performance. This bursary targets students studying tourism, hospitality, and related disciplines — a field that is consistently underfunded compared to engineering and finance tracks, making the competition meaningfully lower for qualifying students.
The renewal condition is standard across most government bursaries: pass your year, keep your bursary. Fail, and the next renewal is not guaranteed. Check the official Department of Tourism website for current closing dates as these are updated throughout the year.
Corporate Bursaries
Corporate bursaries are funded by private companies. They tend to be more competitive than government bursaries — fewer spots, higher academic requirements — but they come with something government bursaries rarely offer: a direct pipeline into employment. Many corporate bursaries include vacation work, mentorship, and a conditional job offer on completion. For students in engineering, accounting, and technology, these are some of the most valuable opportunities available.
The Sasol Mainstream Bursary Programme provides comprehensive financial support including tuition, accommodation, books, meals, and a living allowance, along with developmental training, mentorship, and career opportunities within Sasol upon graduation. It is one of the most complete bursary packages offered by a South African corporate — and one of the most competitive to receive.
Bursaries are granted for standard degree programmes at a minimum of four years — dual, combined, or hybrid degrees such as B.Sc. in Chemistry with Chemical Engineering, or B.Eng. in Mechatronics, are not eligible. The programme comes with a work-back or pay-back obligation — Sasol invests in your education, and you contribute to their operations post-graduation. Engineering and science disciplines are the primary focus, with postgraduate funding available for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering students whose research aligns with Sasol’s sustainability objectives.
The Allan Gray Orbis Fellowship is one of the most prestigious student funding programmes in South Africa — and one of the few still open with a confirmed April 2026 closing date. It is not simply a bursary. It is a full fellowship that combines financial support with entrepreneurship development, a community of high-achieving peers, and a multi-stage selection process designed to identify students with genuine leadership potential.
The selection process has three stages: applications close 30 April 2026 at 17:00; shortlisted applicants attend interviews on 31 July 2026; and a final Selection Camp takes place in September 2026. All applicants receive feedback after every step. To be considered, you must have achieved a minimum of 60% for Mathematics or 80% for Mathematical Literacy in your Grade 11 final results, and a minimum overall average of 70% for Grade 11 excluding Life Orientation. This is one of the most open deadlines on this list — and one of the most worth investing time in.
African Rainbow Minerals invites students to apply for their bursary programme for the 2026 academic year, aimed at attracting talented students committed to their studies who wish to grow within the mining and resources sector. The 2026 application window closed at the end of January — but ARM runs this bursary annually and the 2027 cycle will open around August 2026. If you’re studying mining engineering, geology, metallurgy, or a related scarce skill, ARM should be on your watchlist every year without exception.
The Shoprite Group offers bursaries to South African students to support tertiary studies in fields aligned with the group’s business needs. For a retail group of Shoprite’s scale — operating across South Africa and the continent — this means supply chain management, data analytics, finance, logistics, IT, and HR are all funded disciplines. Shoprite bursaries are undersubscribed relative to their value simply because most students don’t associate retail with bursary opportunities. That assumption is wrong, and it works in your favour.
For Students Who Don’t Qualify for NSFAS
One of the most underserved groups in South African higher education is the “missing middle” — students from households that earn too much for NSFAS but too little to comfortably fund a university degree. Several bursary programmes exist specifically for this group, with income thresholds higher than NSFAS’s R350,000 cap.
This is not a single bursary — it is a category of funding that most students never discover because it isn’t advertised publicly. Every major South African university holds donor-funded bursaries specifically for students who fall into the missing middle: households earning between R350,000 and R600,000 per year who cannot access NSFAS but also cannot comfortably self-fund.
The only way to access this funding is to go to your institution’s Financial Aid Office in person, explain your situation, and ask specifically about gap funding, donor bursaries, and emergency student support. This funding does not appear on bursary websites. It is distributed by financial aid officers who have discretion over its allocation. Students who are financially constrained but do not meet NSFAS requirements should approach their institution’s financial aid office for institutional bursary and loan options. The students who get it are the ones who ask.
All Closing Dates: At a Glance
| Bursary | Closing Date | Field | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funza Lushaka (new applicants) | 24 Jan 2026 | Teaching / B.Ed. | Closed for 2026 |
| FASSET Top Achiever Bursary | 28 Feb 2026 | Finance · Accounting · IT · Actuarial | Confirm with FASSET |
| ARM Bursary 2026 | 30 Jan 2026 | Mining · Geology · Engineering | Closed — monitor 2027 |
| Allan Gray Orbis Fellowship | 30 April 2026 | All fields — entrepreneurship focus | Open now |
| Sasol Mainstream Bursary | Check sasolbursaries.com | Engineering · Chemistry · Geology | Confirm on portal |
| Shoprite Group Bursary | Rolling — check careers portal | Supply Chain · Finance · IT | Monitor regularly |
| Dept of Tourism Bursary | Rolling — check DHET portal | Tourism · Hospitality | Monitor regularly |
| Institution Donor Bursaries | No fixed deadline | All fields | Apply in person at FAO |
What Every Bursary Application Needs
The most common reason strong bursary applications are disqualified has nothing to do with marks, need, or motivation. It is incomplete documentation. Students miss out on bursary opportunities every year simply because they apply too late or with incomplete documents. The checklist below covers what virtually every South African bursary requires — have these ready before you apply to anything.
Standard Bursary Application Documents
- Certified copy of your South African ID Certified at a police station. Must not be older than 3 months. A blurry photocopy of a photocopy is a disqualification waiting to happen.
- Latest academic results — certified copy Matric results if applying for first-year funding. Full academic transcript if currently studying. Both years if available — include Grade 11 if applying as a matriculant.
- Proof of registration or acceptance at your institution On the institution’s official letterhead. A screenshot of your student portal is not accepted by most bursary providers.
- Proof of household income Payslips for the last 3 months for employed parents or guardians. For unemployed parents: a sworn affidavit confirming unemployment. For SASSA recipients: the grant letter.
- Motivational letter Keep it personal, sincere, and focused — around 150 to 300 words unless told otherwise. Explain your field of study, your financial need, and specifically why you are applying for this bursary. Generic letters that could apply to any bursary are easy to spot and easy to discard.
- Proof of residence A municipal account, lease agreement, or official letter confirming your residential address. Required by bursaries that restrict funding to specific provinces or regions.
- Curriculum vitae (for corporate bursaries) One page. Education first, then any relevant experience, achievements, or community involvement. This is not a job application — keep it focused on academic and personal highlights.
Where to Find More Bursaries Beyond This List
This guide covers the most significant bursaries currently open — but it is not the full universe. Several dedicated South African platforms track bursaries in real time and are worth bookmarking:
graduates24.com/bursaries — one of the most consistently updated bursary databases in South Africa, with closing dates and direct application links. zabursaries.co.za covers a broader range including municipal and trust bursaries that don’t appear on corporate-focused platforms. allbursaries.co.za categorises by field of study, which makes it useful for students who know their discipline but don’t know who funds it.
Check these platforms at least once a week from now through May. New bursaries open throughout the year — particularly municipal bursaries, which operate on irregular cycles that don’t follow the main August to November window at all.
Apply Now. Not Next Week.
The difference between students who receive bursary funding and students who don’t is rarely academic ability or financial need. It is almost always timing and completeness. The students who apply first, with every document correctly prepared, are the students who get funded.
Every bursary on this list that is still open is open right now, today — and every day that passes is a day closer to a deadline that will not move for you. Get your documents together, find the one or two bursaries most relevant to your field and situation, and submit a complete application before the window closes.
Education is the investment. A bursary is how you make it without debt. Use it.
— uni24 Student Finance Desk, March 2026
