Common Bursary Application Mistakes
Written by the SA Bursary Hub Editorial Team · Published on · 6 min read
The avoidable mistakes that can get a South African bursary application set aside, and how to avoid each one.
Leaving it to the closing week
Funder portals slow down and sometimes fall over in the last three days before a deadline, and load shedding does not pause for your upload. Submit at least a week early. If a bursary closes at midnight, treat the closing time as 16:00 on the previous working day so that you can still phone the funder if something goes wrong.
Applying for bursaries you do not qualify for
Every application takes real time. Read the eligibility section first: field of study, minimum average, household income, citizenship, province and institution. If you clearly fall outside the criteria, spend that hour on a bursary you actually fit. Our eligibility checker exists for exactly this reason.
Sending the same motivational letter everywhere
Panels read hundreds of letters and recognise a generic one immediately. At minimum, change the funder's name, mention what the organisation does, and connect your field of study to their industry. A mining company funding a nursing student wants to hear how you understand health in mining communities.
Other mistakes that cost students funding
- Uncertified or expired certified copies
- Photographs of documents taken at an angle, or files too large to upload
- An informal email address, or an email address you never check
- A phone number that goes unanswered, many funders phone shortlisted students once
- Leaving out proof of income because 'they will ask if they need it'
- Exaggerating results or claiming subjects you did not take; funders verify with the Department of Basic Education and institutions
- Applying to only one or two bursaries
- Ignoring the appeal or feedback date and never following up
Never pay to apply
Be cautious of anyone asking you to pay a fee to apply for or guarantee a bursary, or requesting an upfront 'admin fee' or your banking PIN. Always verify requirements on the funder's official website and apply only through it.
SA Bursary Hub editorial team
This guide is written from the South African application process and reviewed before publication. It is general guidance, not funder policy. How we verify information.