Top NSFAS Bursary Alternatives to Fund your Education If you don’t Qualify for NSAFAS Don’t worry you may Qualify for other Bursary which act like NSFAS Alternatives Bursary find the list of other top Bursaries.
These alternatives provide diverse opportunities, each with unique benefits and requirements. So what are the alternative ways to fund your education in South Africa?
- Bursary schemes
- Scholarships
- Crowdfunding
. Funza Lushaka Bursary
Funza Lushaka is a four years program for a Bachelor of
Education (B.Ed.). This bursary is for those students who are studying and intending to become teachers. It is to promote teaching as a profession. This bursary has different majors to which you can apply.
Foundation Phase: Grade R to Grade 3
Intermediate Phase: Grade 4 to Grade 6
Senior and Further Education and Training Teaching: Grade 7 to Grade 12
The bursary covers tuition, accommodation, learning material, meals, registration, and living expense allowance. To get this allowance, the applicant must have a grade 12 certificate, be under 30 and maintain good grades.
. SITA Bursary
The State Information Technology Agency, or SITA, is a bursary for students pursuing ICT studies. This bursary aims to fill the gap between Information and Communication Fraternity. The SITA bursary covers various fields like Information technology, Applied Sciences, Social Studies, and Agriculture. The bursary will cover the following;
- Accommodation
- Transport
- Learning materials
- Meals
- Tuition
You must be a South African citizen studying ICT-related at a recognized tertiary education institution in South Africa. Moreover, you must have a matric certificate to be eligible for the SITA bursary.
. SETA Bursary
The Sector Education and Training Authorities or SETA is a bursary system for initiating student skills development. The government gives these bursaries to those students who are good at studies to increase the number of students in the disciplines with limited skills.
The students have to sign a contract to work in South Africa, sometimes in a specific sector. However, there is no specific employment contract. It covers tuition, textbooks, accommodation, meals, and research expenses.
. Sasol Bursary
Sasol bursary is for individuals with the necessary talent and wanting to study full-time. This is an all-inclusive bursary system that includes many fields but will prioritize the sectors the country needs most for the future. To name a few, Engineering & Technology, Data Science, Agricultural Science, Environmental & Medical Sciences, Construction & and manufacturing Financial Sciences, etc.
It includes undergraduate university fields like Chemical Engineering (BEng / BSc), Electronic Engineering (BEng / BSc), and Mining Engineering (BEng / BSc) and postgraduate studies like Cyber Security (MEng / MSc / Ph.D.), etc.
. Motsepe Foundation Bursary
The main purpose of this foundation is to give a better life to the poverty-stricken unemployed people of the country. Over 2000 students are receiving this fund. It covers tuition, accommodation, living expenses, and books. This foundation award bursary in the following fields;
- Engineering
- Entrepreneurship
- Mathematics
- Technology
- Business Studies
- Law
- Arts
- Medical Studies
- Sciences
- Agriculture
To be eligible for this bursary, you must be a South African citizen, have more than 70% marks in matric, be studying or intending to study in any of the above fields at a recognized tertiary
education institute, match the financial income level criteria and maintain excellent grades.
. NRF Bursaries
The National Research Foundation or NRF bursaries are for those postgraduate South African students who intend to study full-time. NRF bursaries support students with their honors, master and doctoral degrees.
The bursary aims to promote all science, Engineering, Technology, Social Sciences, and humanities fields, including Indigenous Knowledge Systems, among South African students. The age requirements for honors, master, and doctoral studies are 28, 30, and 32, respectively. The academic requirement for postgraduate studies is at least 65%.
. South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) Bursary
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is a bursary for those students who want to pursue engineering in the academic year 2023. This bursary supports the following fields;
- Aeronautical Engineering
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineering
- Pilot Training
Like any other bursary, this one also has some requirements you must meet to get the bursary. To be eligible for the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) Bursary, you must be;
- South African citizen.
- Between the age of 18 and 35 years old.
- Have a matric degree or currently studying in matric.
- Intend to get admission in any of their selected field.
. Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Bursary
If you are an undergrad student and want to continue your education but lack the finances, you can now apply for this bursary. It covers tuition fees, books, accommodation, meals, a laptop, and an allowance. This bursary covers a diverse variety of fields. Following are all the fields covered by the IDC bursary.
Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronic Engineering
- Industrial Engineering (BSc)
- Mechanical Engineering
- Metallurgy Engineering
- Mine Survey
- Mining Engineering
Science
- Actuarial Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Agriculture
- Environmental Science
- Geology
Commerce and IT
- Accounting (CA Bcom)
- Computer Science
- Information Systems (BCom)
- Investment Management
- Information Technology
Law
- Commercial Law (BCom)
- Law (Postgraduate Diploma)
- LLB (Bachelor of Law)
. Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust
Cyril Ramaphosa
Education Trust is a bursary for poor and needy students seeking higher education. This bursary gives a CRETB grant for a maximum of five years. This bursary is specific for every person and keeps the student’s holistic needs. They make a tailor-made allowance for each student.
Unlike traditional bursaries, this does not give tuition, accommodation, books, stationery, or a personal allowance. It believes in ‘paying it forward,’ and students do not have to sign any work contract with the bursary provider. Rather, they are trained to realize their social responsibility and help others in need.
. Thuthuka Bursary
Thuthuka bursary began in 2005 by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) for financially unstable students. This bursary will support those students who intend to become chartered accountants.
The bursary includes a variety of support for students. They will not only get the tuition, accommodation, learning material, and personal care allowance but also ‘wrap-around’ support. It includes;
- Academic support
- Social support
- Emotional support
- Work-readiness and life skills training
- Mentoring and counseling
- Access to experienced CA and business leaders as mentors
To be eligible for the Thuthuka bursary, you must be;
- South African citizen.
- Have a grade 12 degree or matric (not out from school for more than two years) or are university students of a CA-related field.
- Have 60% or more marks in grade 11 in mathematics.
- Intend to get into a university that Thuthuka bursary supports for BCom Accounting (CA-stream) degree.
- Have a total and complete income of R350000 or less per year.
- Appear for National Benchmark Test (NBT).
. South African National Seed Organization (SANSOR) Bursary
This bursary is for those students who want to pursue postgraduate degree studies like honors, master’s, and a doctorate in the seed industry. This bursary aims to promote seed trade by encouraging the youth to conduct high-quality research in the seed industry.
Students will get an allowance based on their academic results. It will be for only one year initially. However, if the student shows satisfactory results, they might get it for over a year. The bursary provides not only financial support but also provides various workshops to students to develop their employment skills. Students who can do high-quality research in the following area will get this bursary.
- Agronomy
- Biotechnology
- Entomology
- Genetics
- Horticulture
- Molecular Plant Biology
- Pasture Science
- Plant Breeding
- Plant Pathology
- Plant Physiology
Feenix
Feenix.org is a crowdfunding platform for students of South Africa to formalize their fundraising efforts and also serve as a channel for funders to find students they wish to support. It is one of the best NSFAS bursary alternatives.
It works just as how any crowdfunding platform works. What is unique about feenix is that it is the only nonprofit initiative in SA that pays the historical debt for students.
The fundraising platform was launched in June 2017 as a response to the #FeesMustFall movement that spread across campuses in South Africa during 2015 and 2016.
Feenix has got credible partners which makes it a credible platform to raise funds for your education. Standard Bank is its fundraising partner with other top universities in South Africa as supporting partners and affiliates.
Over 70% of students who registered during the 2018 academic year raised funding through the Feenix Platform.
To get started, all you need to do is create an account (if you meet the requirements listed below) and get started.
Tips to create a good profile for feenix
Creating a good profile is key to your success on this platform. The best way around it is to check the profile of other students who have successfully raised enough funds (achieved their goals).
Feenix recommends you have a profile picture with a clear background.
Taking a great profile picture in 3 easy steps:
- Find your perfect light.
- Clear up the background.
- Know your angles.
Feenix.org requirements
To be able to register and create an account to raise funds, you need to meet the following requirements.
- A South African citizen/permanent resident/refugee or asylum seeker
- You are registered at a public South African university
- You have current or historical debt owing to your university
- Your combined household income under R600k per year
- You have a certified copy of your identity document
- You have an official* fee statement (not older than 30 days and on the university’s letterhead).
Make sure you get an updated fee statement from your institution and a certified copy of your ID.
BackaBuddy
BackaBuddy is a South African crowdfunding platform that is designed to help you create online campaigns to raise funds for causes you are passionate about.
Unlike feenix.org which focuses on students, backabuddy.co.za is your typical crowdfunding platform.
Since December 2018, BackaBuddy, has welcomed over 50 new crowdfunding campaigns for students looking to fundraise for university deposits, textbooks, and tuition.
If you need help paying your tertiary education fees, sign up to BackaBuddy, tell your story by submitting a video for your campaign, set your target, and begin reaching out to your networks for support.
Bursary Network
Launched in November 2015, Bursary Network is another student-based crowdfunding platform that enables anyone to contribute to educating students attending South African universities.
From as little as R100, Bursary Network allows individuals and institutions to partner in funding the education of students.
So far, Bursary Network has;
- 1,000 registered donors,
- R863,917 successfully raised, and
- 20 students funded.
To get your varsity education fees crowdfunded on bursarynetwork.com you have to fill and complete the online funding application form and attach all the requested documents.
The BursaryNetwork staff will then assess and verify the application’s merits and accuracy with the assistance of the concerned university.
Thereafter they will assist you to build your online profile for your campaign at no cost to you.
FASSET bursary
The Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET) bursary scheme is a full bursary program, covering all study-related expenses.
FASSET bursary is one of the government bursaries in SA. As one of South Africa’s SETAs, the company is required to ensure that employees within its sector have the necessary training and education to perform their job.
FASSET bursaries are awarded for studies in Accounting and Finance related fields of study.
IDC bursary
The IDC bursary is another NSFAS bursary alternatives available to applicants who are studying or who intend to study full-time at an accredited South African university or university of technology.
Applications from students attending TVET colleges will also be accepted. This bursary may also be awarded to complete compulsory postgraduate studies.
You must apply online at the IDC bursary portal. You will be required to register an account before you can log in and apply.
Tuition and campus accommodation will be paid directly to the university. Off-campus accommodation will be paid to the landlord, based on the lease agreement between student and landlord.
Payment for prescribed textbooks is made to the service provider after receipt of quotations and relevant documents. The meal allowance will be paid quarterly.
If you’re an IDC bursary beneficiary, you may be asked to work for the company for a period that is equal to the number of years you received funding.
Application closing date 30 June annually.
FMCSA bursary
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is one of South Africa’s largest and leading automotive companies.
FMCSA has joined up with the National Government’s drive of skill development by offering funding for final year students to complete their tertiary education.
If you’re a final year student who wants to apply for FMCSA bursary, you need to be in these fields of study:
- Finance
- Industrial Engineering
- Information Technology
- Marketing
- Mechanical Engineering
- Purchasing.
Qualifying criteria
Before sending forms and documents, you must meet the following minimum criteria:
- South African citizen
- Final year students
- Achieved strong academic results.
Are you interested in the FMCSA bursary? Download and complete the application form.
One benefit of this bursary scheme is that, before your graduation, you may be eligible to partake in the Graduate Trainee Program to enable you to gain invaluable practical experience in your career field.
Sasol bursary
Sasol bursary is another evergreen bursary scheme in SA. When I say evergreen, I mean the bursary is available to students every year.
Sasol Limited is a South African company founded in Sasolburg, in the year 1950 and is the very first oil-from-coal company.
The company is known for its development and commercialization of technologies, as well as for building and operating global-scale facilities to create electricity, chemicals, and fuel.
If you want to apply for the Sasol bursary, you must first register online via the Sasol website.
You will then be prompted to answer a few questions regarding your field and level of study. Once you have registered, you can then log in and fill the application.
Bear in mind that Sasol bursary recipients are required to work back the bursary award on completion of their studies (this is mandatory).
PPC bursary
PPC Ltd is a top Southern African supplier of cement and related products. The company offers funding opportunities for SA students in tertiary institutions every year via bursary schemes.
It is a full bursary, providing coverage for the following study-related expenses: tuition fees, accommodation, and meals.
Submission of applications is open all year round and students are welcome to apply at any time.
The PPC bursary will be awarded to students within the following Mining related fields of study:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Mining Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Industrial Engineering (as well as Environmentally-oriented degrees).
Once you have graduated, you will be required to work for PPC (depending on availability within the company) for an equal duration of time as the bursary awarded.
KPMG bursaries
KPMG offers two unique bursary opportunities for students studying towards becoming SAICA accredited Chartered Accountants, or CAs(SA). KPMG is one of the best NSFAS bursary alternatives.
In order for KPMG to determine which bursary option you qualify for, they ask that you upload certain necessary documentation.
KPMG reserves the right to solely determine whether you should be awarded the Pure Merit Bursary or the Merit Bursary with Financial Needs and to determine the amount awarded under such bursary.
Aurecon South Africa bursary scheme
If you are a South African citizen, and studying or intending to study BSc or BEng in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, Mechatronic, Industrial, Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Degrees at recognized Universities in South Africa, then you should apply for the Aurecon South Africa Bursary Scheme.
Aurecon is an engineering, design, and advisory company.
After graduation, you get to work for Aurecon, for every one year that you’ve had a bursary with us (including any suspension period).
In-service training periods are excluded from this. The service obligation period will commence after the successful completion of studies/after graduation.
The Hexagon Trust bursaries
The Hexagon Trust, a charitable non-profit NGO situated in Durban, South Africa provides opportunities for students to realize their full educational potential.
The trust provides bursaries to economically disadvantaged SA students. Financial assistance is awarded for study in the Science, Engineering, and Commerce fields at the tertiary level.
The bursaries offered by the trust cover registration, tuition fees, and a book allowance.