Latest Available Bursaries in South Africa for 2026

Universities, TVET colleges, and selected high schools that run their own bursaries or scholarships — plus where to look for 2026 funding and how to plan for 2027.

Many South African public universities and TVET colleges offer institutional bursaries, scholarships and merit awards alongside NSFAS. Some independent schools also run annual scholarship/bursary rounds (often for Grade 8 entry). This page shows some examples of where to look on official portals, what’s already known for the 2026 cycle, and how to track the next (2027) rounds as they open.

Tip: for broad discovery across sponsors and sectors, bookmark the curated repository at bursaries-southafrica.co.za.

At a glance (2026/2027)

University funding is usually split: (1) institutional bursaries/merit awards and (2) external bursaries listed on a university “funding” or “external opportunities” board.
Some funding calls run year-round (especially postgraduate and external opportunities). Others are annual windows (often mid/late-year for the next academic intake).
TVET: most funding is via NSFAS, but some colleges also publish college-bursary contacts, NSFAS guidance and accommodation notes.
Independent schools: Grade 8 scholarship rounds often run in the year before entry; always follow the school’s official timelines and assessment dates.

Always use the official portal dates. If a date isn’t shown yet for 2027, it usually means the institution hasn’t opened that round. Use the links below and set a reminder to re-check.

Universities: where to find institutional bursaries & scholarships

University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) — Johannesburg

What to know: Wits maintains a central Scholarships & Bursaries hub, a live Postgraduate Funding Portal, and an External Opportunities board that is updated as opportunities are received.

Known 2026 window (sport): Wits Sport bursary applications for the 2026 academic year opened 1 April 2025 and closed 30 September 2025 (check the same page when the 2027 cycle is published).

Useful links:

Planning for 2027 admissions: Wits indicates that applications for the 2027 intake are anticipated to open in March 2026 (separate from funding, but useful for planning).

Stellenbosch University (SU)

What to know: SU runs its funding applications through the SU Funding Opportunities (SUFO) process and publishes guidance on the Centre for Undergraduate Bursaries & Loans (CUBL) site. SU also publishes merit awards/merit bursary rules and other funding types on the same hub.

Annual timing (published by SU): SU states that first-time funding applications typically open in early October and close in early February, while re-applications (returning students) close around end-November. Always confirm the current cycle on the official pages.

Useful links:

University of Pretoria (UP)

What to know: UP runs a central Funding page that lists opportunities with opening and closing dates (useful for what’s open right now). UP also maintains general “Student Funding” guidance and a postgraduate funding opportunities page.

Useful links:

University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)

What to know: UKZN’s Department of Student Funding administers NSFAS as well as bursaries and scholarships, and maintains a “Current Bursaries and Scholarships being advertised” page for updates. UKZN also publishes sport scholarship notices with deadlines.

Known 2026 deadline (sport scholarships example): A UKZN Sport Scholarships notice for 2026 lists a closing date of 31 October 2025 (check the same channels for the 2027 round when published).

Useful links:

Public TVET colleges: NSFAS support + college bursary contacts

NSFAS (TVET) — the official starting point

What to know: NSFAS explains where to apply for TVET funding (including via TVET college bursary offices and the myNSFAS portal) and lists the categories of costs/allowances covered for qualifying TVET students.

Useful link: NSFAS: TVET College Funding

College examples (Western Cape)

False Bay TVET College

False Bay publishes an NSFAS bursaries page with practical guidance and notes about accommodation allowances for qualifying students. The Westlake campus page also references private accommodation allowance for NSFAS-qualifying students.

Northlink TVET College

Northlink publishes a bursaries contact page (including a bursaries email address). Their tuition/fee policy PDF includes bursary guidelines, and their “How to Apply” guide shows an option to indicate “Bursary Required” during the online application process.

Independent schools: Grade 8 scholarships/bursaries (2027 entry examples)

Allan Gray Orbis Foundation — Scholarship Programme (Grade 8 entry)

What to know: The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation describes its scholarship programme as support for financially deserving learners with entrepreneurial potential. The Foundation’s scholarship page shows the current status of applications, and the 2025 application form is explicitly for high school placement in 2027 (for learners currently in Grade 6).

Dainfern College (Gauteng) — High School Scholarships & Bursaries

Dainfern notes that a limited number of Grade 8 bursaries are available and describes areas of talent/potential (academic, sport, leadership, cultural), with eligibility and requirements published on the school’s official page. The school has also indicated (via official social posts) that Grade 8 2027 scholarship applications would open soon with a link expected in January 2026.

High School Scholarships & Bursaries (official)

Steyn City School (Gauteng) — Scholarships (Grade 8 2027)

Steyn City School publishes a detailed scholarship process and dates. For the Grade 8 2027 cycle, the school states that sports & culture practical assessments will take place 28 February – 7 March 2026, and Grade 8 2027 scholarship offers will be made mid-March 2026 (in conjunction with other ISASA schools in Gauteng).

Scholarships (official timelines)

How to approach 2026 and 2027 applications (quick plan)

Start on your institution’s official funding hub (links above). Look for a “Funding / Scholarships / Financial Aid / Student Funding” section and any “Current opportunities” board.
Track two streams in parallel: (1) institutional bursaries/merit awards and (2) external opportunities posted on the institution’s portal.
Use live “calls” pages to find what’s open right now (example: UP’s Funding page lists opportunities with opening/closing dates).
For TVET: check NSFAS TVET guidance first, then your college bursary office page for local instructions, accommodation notes and contacts.
For 2027: if dates aren’t published yet, don’t guess—bookmark the official portal and re-check when the institution opens the new cycle.

Common mistakes to avoid

Applying only for NSFAS and missing your university/college’s separate institutional funding process (or vice versa).
Relying on old PDFs for dates—always confirm on the official portal page for the current cycle.
Submitting without required supporting documents (ID, results, proof of income where needed, and any programme-specific forms).
Missing sport/culture assessment bookings for school scholarships (dates are often fixed and non-negotiable).