Bursary requirements vary by funder, but most South African bursaries assess applicants against a similar core set of criteria: academic performance, financial need, citizenship, and sometimes your intended field of study. Understanding these upfront saves you from applying to bursaries you have little realistic chance of securing, and helps you focus your energy on the ones where you’re a genuinely strong candidate.
If you haven’t yet read our overview of how bursaries work and the different types available, start with what is a bursary and types of bursaries in South Africa before working through the requirements below.
Academic Requirements
Almost every bursary sets a minimum academic threshold, though the bar varies significantly by funder and field. As a general guide:
- NSFAS and need-based bursaries: Typically require you to pass your NSC (matric) with admission to a degree or diploma programme, without an especially high average.
- Corporate bursaries: Usually require a matric average of 60–70%, often with higher minimums specifically in Mathematics and Science for fields like engineering, actuarial science, and IT.
- Highly competitive bursaries (chartered accountancy, actuarial science, medicine): Often expect 70–80%+ averages and distinctions in relevant subjects, since the applicant pool for these is large relative to the number of spots.
Most bursaries also require you to maintain a minimum pass rate or average once you’re funded and studying, not just to qualify at entry. Falling below that threshold can put your funding at risk, so it’s worth understanding a bursary’s ongoing academic conditions, not just its entry requirements, before you accept an offer.
Financial Need
Need-based bursaries, including NSFAS, assess your household’s combined gross income against a set threshold, currently used to determine whether a family is considered financially needy for funding purposes. You’ll typically need to provide proof of household income, such as payslips, an affidavit of unemployment for non-earning parents or guardians, or a SASSA grant letter where applicable.
Merit-based and field-specific corporate bursaries generally don’t apply a strict income test in the same way, though some still ask for household income information as part of a holistic review of your application.
Citizenship and Residency
The large majority of South African bursaries, particularly NSFAS and government department bursaries, require South African citizenship. Some corporate bursaries extend eligibility to permanent residents, and a smaller number of privately funded bursaries are open to students from the wider Southern African region, though this is the exception rather than the norm. Always confirm citizenship requirements before investing time in an application, since this is one of the most common reasons for an application to be disqualified outright.
Field of Study
Many bursaries, especially corporate ones, are restricted to specific fields of study that match the funder’s skills needs. An engineering firm’s bursary won’t fund a law degree, and a bank’s bursary programme is unlikely to fund a fine arts qualification. Before applying, check that your intended (or current) course of study actually falls within the bursary’s funded fields — this is listed on virtually every bursary’s terms and conditions, and applying outside your field wastes both your time and the funder’s.
Our sector guides cover which bursaries are available by field, including engineering, accounting and finance, medical and health sciences, teaching, IT and technology, and postgraduate study.
Institution and Year of Study
Some bursaries are only open to first-year applicants entering a qualification for the first time, while others specifically target students who are already partway through a degree, or postgraduate students. NSFAS covers both public universities and TVET colleges, but many corporate bursaries only fund students at specific universities or accredited institutions, so it’s worth checking this detail before applying if you’re already enrolled somewhere.
What If You Don’t Meet a Bursary’s Requirements Yet?
If your matric results, financial situation, or field of study don’t line up with the bursaries you’re looking at, you’re not without options. Some funders offer conditional or provisional offers pending final matric results. It’s also worth considering whether a learnership might be a better starting point than a bursary — learnerships combine paid work with a registered qualification and generally have lower academic entry barriers than competitive corporate bursaries, making them a realistic alternative if you’d rather earn while you learn than compete for full-time study funding.
Next Step: Applying
Once you’ve confirmed you meet a bursary’s requirements, the next step is putting together a strong application. Our step-by-step guide to applying for a bursary covers the full process, and our bursary application documents checklist makes sure you’re not missing anything before you submit.
This page is part of our complete guide to bursaries in South Africa. Read the full pillar guide here, or browse current funding opportunities on our bursaries and scholarships listings page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What matric average do I need for a bursary?
It depends entirely on the funder. Need-based bursaries like NSFAS require only a standard admission pass, while competitive corporate bursaries in fields like actuarial science or chartered accountancy often expect averages of 70–80% or higher.
Can permanent residents apply for bursaries in South Africa?
Some can. Government-funded bursaries, including NSFAS, are generally restricted to South African citizens, but a number of corporate and private bursaries do accept permanent residents. Always check the specific funder’s eligibility criteria.
What if I don’t qualify for any bursary right now?
Consider a learnership as an alternative route that combines paid work experience with a registered qualification, or look into private and trust-funded bursaries, which often have less rigid entry criteria than large corporate programmes.
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