Alternative bursaries and scholarships – they are out there and available for students to pursue but not everyone know about it.
Not everyone can afford to go study after leaving school – that’s unfortunately how life goes sometimes. However, students who can’t pay for their tertiary studies can still go the route applying for a bursary, scholarship, or student loan.
The main bursary option for students in South Africa is the NSFAS bursary. While it may be the most popular option, not everyone is able to study under a NSFAS grant. This is the reason why students need to lay their eggs in multiple baskets instead of only one. Applications for an NSFAS bursary closes on 30 November, so there’s still time to apply. However, there are other alternative bursaries and scholarship options out there that tertiary students cannot ignore.
With that being said, here’s a list of bursaries and scholarships available for students closing in October and November:
Alternative Bursaries and Scholarship closing in November
- Illovo Sugar Bursary Programme 2019 – Closes 15 November 2019
- AAUW’s International Fellowship Programme 2020 – Closes 15 November 2019
- AfriSam Bursary Programme 2020 – 15 November 2019
- PIC Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 17 November 2019
- SAFCOL Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 26 November 2019
- NHFC Bursary Scheme 2020 – Closes 30 November 2019
- PSG Bursary Programme 2020 – 30 November 2019
- GE Bursary/Scholarship Programme 2020 – Closes 30 November 2019
- Digby Wells Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 30 November 2019
- Mitchell’s Plain Bursary and Role Model Trust 2020 – Closes 30 November 2019
- Webber Wentzel Scholarship Programme 2020 – Closes 30 November 2019
Alternative Bursaries and Scholarships closing in December
- ATNS Bursary Programme 2020 – Opens from 01 December 2019
- Agbiz Centenary Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 6 December 2019
- Pyrotec Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 6 December 2019
- Sasria Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 13 December 2019
- Starke Ayres Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 31 December 2019
- GCRA Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 31 December 2019
Government Bursaries and Scholarships
- Gauteng Department of Agriculture Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 8 November 2019
- Dept. of Environmental Affairs Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 8 November 2019
- Mossel Bay Municipality Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 8 November 2019
- City of Polokwane Bursary Programme 2020 – Closes 11 November 2019
- Vhembe District Municipality Mayoral Bursaries – Closes 29 November 2019
Student/Financial Aid Programmes
- National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) – Closes 30 November
- Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme
- Funza Lushaka Teaching Bursary Programme 2020
- Fundi
- ABSA
- FNB
- Nedbank
- Standard Bank
Apiece of advice to everyone applying for a bursary: Make sure that you qualify for the bursary that you apply for. Remember that all bursaries and scholarships have specific requirements that students have to match in order to qualify.
Also Read: Funza Lushaka 2020 Bursary Programme
First Published: 1 November 2019
Updated on 03 April 2022
Hi I have a youth development diploma from unisa which i obtain 2017 last year I was rejected by Nsfas due to existing qualification I don’t have a money to further my degree in bed foundation phase as I was using cash for my diploma can you please help me with other options. Thanks
There are other funding options that you can look at, all which can be found in the article. Look at the ones that’s either specific to the qualification that you’re going for or student funding like Fundi.