Bursaries, loans and funded training
Student funding South Africa
Student funding South Africa includes NSFAS, bursaries, loans, scholarships and paid training. Choose what you want to study, then add a course or work area if you know it. We will show a short list with official links.
143 routes have details temporarily paused. We still show their official provider links, but do not quote unverified requirements, amounts or application dates.
Choose what you want to study, then type your course or work area if you know it. We will show a short list. You can also choose “I’m not sure”.
143 application windows need a fresh check. These routes stay listed so you can contact the provider, but are not labelled open. Unconfirmed does not mean closed.
Find a sensible place to start
What kind of help do you need?
Choose one answer. You can still see all 156 official routes.
National, provider and institution funding
5 routesNSFAS bursary
A funding route from National Student Financial Aid Scheme. We cannot verify the current details. Use the official provider to check whether you can apply.
Details paused — check with the official providerCheck this funding South AfricaNSFAS missing-middle student loan
A funding route from National Student Financial Aid Scheme. We cannot verify the current details. Use the official provider to check whether you can apply.
Details paused — check with the official providerCheck this funding South AfricaFunza Lushaka teaching bursary
A funding route from Department of Basic Education. We cannot verify the current details. Use the official provider to check whether you can apply.
Details paused — check with the official providerCheck this funding South AfricaCompensation Fund External Bursary
A funding route from Compensation Fund. We cannot verify the current details. Use the official provider to check whether you can apply.
Details paused — check with the official providerCheck this funding South AfricaDSTI-NRF postgraduate funding
A funding route from National Research Foundation. We cannot verify the current details. Use the official provider to check whether you can apply.
Details paused — check with the official providerCheck this fundingOfficial national and provider-owned student-funding schemes, a verified starting point for all 9 provincial governments, and every one of South Africa's 21 SETA funding authorities. Municipal, institution-specific, nonprofit and private bursaries are separately measured in the completeness register.
Do you know the institution?
Find all 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges.
Use the complete DHET public-institution directory to check NSFAS, the institution's official site, its financial-aid office and the relevant province or SETA route.
Help from a municipality
Check verified local and mayoral bursary routes.
See the last confirmed deadlines, documents and local-residence rules. Closed records are labelled clearly so an old form is never mistaken for a live application.
Direct answers
Common student-funding questions
Is NSFAS the only study funding in South Africa?
No. NSFAS is the largest public student-funding route, but national departments, public entities, nonprofit funders, teacher training, postgraduate research, all 9 provincial governments and all 21 SETAs have separate routes.
Are all bursaries open at the same time?
No. Application windows and approved fields change. Every result shows the date on which its official source was checked, and you should confirm the current call before preparing documents.
Should I pay someone to get a bursary or learnership?
No one can guarantee an award. Start from the named authority's official website and do not pay an unofficial person for access to a government-funded application or placement.