Student Resource Centre
Guides for South African students
Everything you need to apply well: bursary applications, NSFAS, university admission, CVs, motivational letters, interviews and study techniques. All free, all written for the South African system.
How to Apply for Bursaries
A step-by-step guide to applying for South African bursaries: what to prepare, how to apply, and how to avoid the mistakes that get applications rejected.
6 min readNSFAS Guide
Everything South African students need to know about NSFAS funding: who qualifies, what it covers, when applications open and how to appeal a rejection.
7 min readUniversity Application Guide
How to apply to South African universities and TVET colleges: APS scores, deadlines, application fees, and what to do if you are not accepted.
6 min readCV Writing Guide
How to write a strong one-page student CV for bursary applications, even with no formal work experience.
5 min readMotivational Letter Guide
A clear structure for writing a bursary motivational letter that explains who you are, why you need funding and why you deserve it.
5 min readInterview Tips
How to prepare for a bursary interview: common questions, what to wear, and how to answer confidently online or in person.
5 min readStudy Tips
Practical study techniques for South African students who need to maintain the academic average their bursary requires.
5 min readRequired Application Documents
The full document pack South African bursary funders ask for, how to get documents certified, and how to scan and name your files properly.
6 min readCommon Bursary Application Mistakes
The avoidable mistakes that can get a South African bursary application set aside, and how to avoid each one.
6 min readNSFAS, Bursaries, Scholarships and Learnerships Explained
A plain explanation of the difference between NSFAS, bursaries, scholarships, learnerships and internships in South Africa, and which one fits your situation.
6 min readUniversity Funding Guide
Every realistic way to pay for a South African university degree: NSFAS, missing-middle funding, bursaries, scholarships, student loans and institutional aid.
7 min readTVET College Funding Guide
How to fund a TVET college qualification in South Africa: NSFAS for TVET students, SETA bursaries, learnerships, and what allowances you can expect.
6 min readTips to Increase Your Chances of Getting Funded
Practical ways South African students can stand out in a bursary application: applying early, applying widely, writing a specific motivation, and following up properly.
6 min readBursary, Scholarship, Student Loan or Learnership: Which One Fits You?
The practical differences between bursaries, scholarships, student loans, learnerships, internships and apprenticeships in South Africa, and how to decide which to apply for.
7 min readWhat to Do If NSFAS Declines Your Application
A calm, practical plan for South African students whose NSFAS application was unsuccessful: how appeals generally work, and what other funding routes to pursue in the meantime.
6 min readThe South African Bursary Year: When to Apply for What
A month-by-month view of the South African funding year: when most bursaries open and close, when NSFAS and university applications usually run, and how to plan around it.
6 min readWork-Back and Service Obligations: What You Are Agreeing To
How work-back and service conditions in South African bursaries generally work, the questions to ask before signing, and what to check in the funder's own contract.
6 min readCertified Copies and Supporting Documents: A Practical Guide
Where to get documents certified in South Africa, how to prepare clean scans for online bursary portals, and how to avoid the upload problems that delay applications.
5 min readFunding Honours, Master's and PhD Study in South Africa
How postgraduate funding works in South Africa: the main routes for honours, master's and doctoral study, what selection panels look at, and how to plan your application.
7 min readKeeping Your Bursary: Renewal Conditions and What to Do If You Struggle
What South African bursaries typically require to renew funding each year, how to stay on the right side of the conditions, and what to do if your results slip.
6 min readFunza Lushaka Bursary Guide for Teaching Students
A plain-language guide to the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme for South African teaching students: what it funds, who qualifies, the priority subject areas and how the application process works.
7 min readHow to Find Bursaries for Your Field of Study
A practical method for finding funding that matches your course: how field names are used by funders, where to look, and how to check that your qualification actually qualifies.
5 min readHow to Find Bursaries Based on Your Province
Province matters in South African funding. Learn which funders restrict by province, how residence is proved, and how to search provincial opportunities properly.
5 min readHow to Check Whether a Bursary Is Still Open
Closing dates move, pages go stale and old adverts circulate on social media. Here is how to confirm for yourself whether a South African bursary is still accepting applications.
4 min readWhat to Do After Applying for a Bursary
The weeks after you submit matter. How to keep records, follow up politely, prepare for selection steps and plan for either outcome.
5 min readHow Bursary Funding Works
What a bursary actually pays for, who receives the money, what conditions usually attach to it and what happens if your circumstances change.
6 min readHow to Prepare Before a Bursary Application Opens
Most of the work that wins a bursary happens before the window opens. A preparation plan for documents, results, references and your written material.
5 min readHow NSFAS Funding Really Works: A Complete Guide for South African Students
If you’ve ever tried to make sense of NSFAS funding by piecing together WhatsApp forwards, TikTok comments, and half-finished forum threads, you’re not alone.
5 min readBursary vs Scholarship vs Study Loan: What’s the Real Difference?
Students searching for funding often use “bursary,” “scholarship,” and “student loan”
4 min readHow to Write a Bursary Motivation Letter That Actually Gets Read
Every year, thousands of South African students submit motivation letters that say almost exactly the same thing: “I come from a disadvantaged background,…
5 min readAPS Score Explained: How It Affects What You Can Apply For
If you’ve started looking into university applications, you’ve probably run into the term “APS score” attached to almost every course requirement page,…
4 min readProvincial Bursary Guide: What’s Available in Each of South Africa’s 9 Provinces
National bursaries from big companies and government departments tend to dominate search results, but every South African province also runs its own…
4 min readWhat a Bursary Work-Back Contract Actually Commits You To
Most students sign their bursary contract with excitement about having their studies funded, and understandably give far less attention to the legal…
4 min readBursaries That Don’t Require Final Matric Results Yet
One of the most common sources of panic among matric students is the assumption that every bursary application requires your final results before you can…
4 min readCan You Hold Two Bursaries at Once? The Real Rules
Students facing a funding gap often wonder whether they can simply apply for and accept multiple bursaries to cover costs more comprehensively, or as a…
4 min readWhat Happens If You Fail a Module While on a Bursary
Failing a module is stressful enough on its own, but for bursary-funded students, it often comes with an added layer of anxiety: will this cost me my…
4 min readFunza Lushaka Deep Dive: Teaching Bursary Requirements and Bonding Terms
Funza Lushaka is one of South Africa’s most well-established bursary programmes, specifically designed to address teacher shortages in priority subjects…
5 min readEngineering Bursaries in South Africa: Which Ones Bond You, Which Don’t
Engineering is one of the most heavily bursary-funded fields in South Africa, driven by a persistent national shortage of qualified engineers across…
4 min readIT & Computing Bursaries: Corporate vs Government Funding Compared
Information technology and computer science have become increasingly well-funded fields for South African bursaries over the past several years, driven…
4 min readHealth Sciences: The Nursing Bursary Landscape by Province
South Africa’s public healthcare system faces a persistent shortage of nurses, and bursary funding for nursing has become an important tool provincial…
4 min readBursary glossary
Plain-language definitions of APS, NSFAS, work-back, means tests and other funding terms.
14 termsApplication templates
Download a CV template, motivational letter, personal statement and application checklist.
4 downloadsFrequently asked questions
- Is SA Bursary Hub free to use?
- Yes. Searching, browsing and applying through SA Bursary Hub is completely free and no account is required. We never charge students for bursary information.
- Do I need to create an account to apply?
- No. Every bursary listing links directly to the funder's official application page, where you apply on their portal. You do not need an account with us.
- Are these real bursaries?
- Yes. Every listing is linked to an official application page from the organisation offering the funding. Listings without a working official application link are not published.
- When do bursary applications open in South Africa?
- Most bursaries for the following academic year open between March and September, with many closing between June and October. Some funders accept applications year-round, so check each listing's closing date.
- Can I apply for more than one bursary?
- Yes. Applying to more than one suitable opportunity can reduce your reliance on a single outcome. Check that you meet each funder's criteria and tailor the documents requested for every application.
- What documents do I need for a bursary application?
- Typically a certified copy of your ID, your latest academic results, proof of household income, proof of registration or acceptance, a CV and a motivational letter.
- Does NSFAS stop me from getting a private bursary?
- You cannot usually hold NSFAS and a full private bursary that covers the same costs at the same time. If you receive a private bursary you must inform NSFAS, and many students use private bursaries to cover costs NSFAS does not.
- Should I ever pay someone to apply on my behalf?
- Be cautious of anyone asking you to pay a fee to apply for or guarantee a bursary. Always verify requirements on the funder's official website before paying anyone or sharing personal details.
- What happens if I miss a bursary deadline?
- A closed application cannot normally be reopened, and funders rarely make exceptions. If you have missed one, move on to bursaries that are still open, deadlines are spread across the year, and our Closing soon page shows what is still accepting applications. Set a reminder for the same bursary next year, because most funders run annual cycles with similar dates.
- How do I know an application link is official?
- An official link goes to the funder's own domain, the company, foundation, government department or university offering the money, and never asks for a payment. We link every listing to the funder's own application page and re-check those links regularly. If a link is broken or redirects somewhere unexpected, please report it on our Contact page.
- Do you charge for bursary information or applications?
- No. Everything on SA Bursary Hub is free, and you apply directly on the funder's own site. We never ask for a fee. Be cautious of anyone asking you to pay to apply for or guarantee a bursary, and verify requirements on the funder's official website.
- How often is the bursary information updated?
- Listings are reviewed on an ongoing basis. New opportunities are added as funders open them, closing dates are updated when funders extend them, and bursaries that have closed are archived so you are not sent to a dead application page.
- What is the difference between a bursary and a learnership?
- A bursary pays for your studies, sometimes with a work-back obligation after you graduate. A learnership is a paid, structured programme that combines classroom learning with workplace experience and ends in a registered NQF qualification, with a monthly stipend while you learn.