Money should never stop you from studying.
South Africa has generous government funding and industry bursaries — most learners don't apply because they don't know about them. Here's the full picture.
NSFAS — The National Student Financial Aid Scheme
NSFAS is South Africa's biggest student funding programme. It pays tuition and accommodation at all 26 public universities and 50 public TVET colleges. There is nothing to pay back while you study — it's converted to a bursary if you graduate.
Major bursaries worth applying to
Above NSFAS's income threshold, or want more coverage? These are the biggest private and industry bursaries in South Africa.
University application deadlines
Typical application windows for the 26 SA public universities. Confirm the exact current-year dates on each university's admissions page — programme-specific deadlines can be earlier.
| University | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| CPUT Cape Peninsula University of Technology | 1 April | 30 September |
| CUT Central University of Technology | 1 April | 30 September |
| DUT Durban University of Technology | 1 April | 30 September |
| MUT Mangosuthu University of Technology | 1 April | 30 September |
| NMU Nelson Mandela University | 1 April | 30 September |
| NWU North-West University | 1 April | 30 November |
| Rhodes Rhodes University | 1 April | 30 September |
| SMU Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University | 1 April | 30 June |
| SPU Sol Plaatje University | 1 April | 30 September |
| SU Stellenbosch University | 1 April | 31 July |
| TUT Tshwane University of Technology | 1 April | 30 September |
| UCT University of Cape Town | April | 31 July |
| UFH University of Fort Hare | 1 April | 31 October |
| UFS University of the Free State | 1 April | 30 September |
| UJ University of Johannesburg | 1 April | 31 October |
| UKZN University of KwaZulu-Natal | 1 April | 30 September |
| UL University of Limpopo | 1 April | 30 September |
| UMP University of Mpumalanga | 1 April | 30 September |
| Unisa University of South Africa | 1 September | 14 October |
| Univen University of Venda | 1 April | 30 September |
| UniZulu University of Zululand | 1 April | 30 September |
| UP University of Pretoria | 1 April | 30 June |
| VUT Vaal University of Technology | 1 April | 30 September |
| Wits University of the Witwatersrand | 1 March | 30 September |
| WSU Walter Sisulu University | 1 April | 30 September |
Source: Universities South Africa (USAf) member directory and each institution's published admissions page. Always check the current-year closing dates directly — some faculties (especially Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary) close months earlier than the general deadline.
Next: figure out which courses you qualify for
Enter your marks in the Grade 12 tool and we'll tell you your APS, the courses you qualify for at each university, and which NSFAS / bursary pairing makes sense.