1. Reputable Bursary Administration Trusts
Instead of managing thousands of student files in-house, many major corporations partner with registered educational trusts. Applying through these trusts grants you access to dozens of corporate sponsors simultaneously:
StudyTrust
Administers top national bursaries for Standard Bank, Investec, Coronation, Vodacom, Sasol Inzalo Foundation, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries & the Environment.
Fields: Commerce, STEM, Agriculture, IT.
Official Portal: studytrust.org.za
Career Wise
One of South Africa's oldest bursary managers, administering schemes for mining houses, industrial manufacturers, and financial institutions.
Fields: Engineering, Mining, Geology, Actuarial Science, Data Analytics.
Official Portal: careerwise.co.za
2. Major Corporate & Industrial Bursaries
Sasol Bursary Programme
Comprehensive funding for engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil) and science (Chemistry, Geology, Data Science). Covers full tuition, residence, meals, and guaranteed vacation work with permanent employment opportunities.
Official Portal: sasolbursaries.com
Transnet Bursary Scheme
Full bursaries covering engineering and supply chain disciplines essential for national logistics, freight rail, and port terminal infrastructure.
Official Portal: transnet.net
Allan Gray Orbis Foundation
Prestigious fellowship for entrepreneurial high achievers. Covers full tuition, accommodation, books, stipend, plus personal leadership coaching and entrepreneurship immersion camps.
Official Portal: allangrayorbis.org
Anglo American / De Beers
Full bursaries in Mining Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, and Geosciences. Includes laptop allowance, medical aid cover, and paid practical mine work experience.
Official Portal: angloamerican.com
3. Banking & Financial Services Bursaries
- Standard Bank 150 Bursary: For top undergraduate and postgraduate students in Commerce, Computer Science, and Engineering with >65% academic average.
- Absa Fellowship Programme: Focuses on leadership development and digital innovation disciplines.
- Nedbank Eyethu Community Trust: Funding targeted at students from disadvantaged backgrounds studying towards commerce or technology degrees.
- FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship: Prestigious international and local postgraduate scholarship.
4. Government & Public Sector Bursaries
Key Government Opportunities
• Funza Lushaka Bursary (funzalushaka.doe.gov.za): Multi-year service-contract bursary covering Bachelor of Education (BEd) and PGCE students specializing in priority subjects (Mathematics, Science, Foundation Phase, African Languages). Requires recipient to teach in a public school upon graduation.
• Provincial Bursaries: Gauteng Premier's Service Excellence Bursary, KZN Premier's Bursary, Western Cape Provincial Treasury Bursary.
• SETA Discretionary Bursaries: BANKSETA, W&RSETA, CHIETA, MICT SETA publish annual calls for university and TVET bursary applications.
5. Annual Application Timetable
Do not miss critical submission deadlines. Bookmark this general schedule:
- April to July: Sasol, Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, Anglo American, and Transnet.
- August to September: StudyTrust corporate partners, Career Wise schemes.
- October to January: NSFAS, Funza Lushaka, Provincial Government bursaries.