Several undergraduate bursaries are available to support Unisa students in reaching their academic goals.
Unisa Merit Bursary
The Unisa Merit Bursary is awarded to academically outstanding students who achieved an average of 75% or higher in their previous year of study. This bursary is exclusively available to South African citizens registered for formal qualifications at Unisa.
The bursary covers tuition fees and prescribed textbooks, subject to available funding. Students who received the bursary in 2023 do not need to reapply but must maintain the 75% average to qualify again.
Required documents include:
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A copy of the applicant’s ID
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Proof of household income
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Parents’ IDs (for dependents)
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An academic record
Students do not apply directly for this bursary. Instead, suitable candidates will be invited by the Division of Student Funding.
NSFAS Bursary
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) offers comprehensive bursaries to eligible South African students from low-income households. The bursary covers:
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Tuition and registration fees
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Learning materials
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Accommodation
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A living allowance
To apply, students must visit the NSFAS website during the application period and meet the financial and academic eligibility criteria.
Department of Transport (DOT) Bursary
This bursary is available to unemployed South African citizens pursuing qualifications related to transport and logistics at Unisa. Eligible undergraduate programmes include:
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BCom in Transport Economics
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BCom in Logistics
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Diploma in Civil Engineering
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Advanced Diploma in Civil Engineering
Applicants must have achieved at least 50% in the previous academic year. The bursary covers tuition fees, prescribed textbooks, library access, a stipend, and research costs (if applicable).
Application process:
Send your application via your myLife email to mogaslm [at] unisa.ac.za (mogaslm[at]unisa[dot]ac[dot]za) with your student number and “DOT BURSARY APPLICATION” in the subject line. Previous DOT bursary recipients must reapply each year.
Hillensberg Trust Bursary
This invitation-based bursary supports financially needy and academically deserving South African students—especially those in the “missing middle.” Eligible students must be registered at Unisa for either undergraduate or postgraduate qualifications and must have achieved an average of at least 60% in the previous academic year.
Eligible qualifications include:
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Medicine
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Technology
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Visual Arts
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Music
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Programmes under the Faculty of Health Sciences
The bursary covers tuition, prescribed textbooks, a transport allowance, and a laptop for first-time recipients. Students are encouraged to monitor their myLife email accounts for invitations. For more information, contact Mr Mashweu via email.
SETA Bursaries
Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) bursaries are mainly invitation-based and target students in fields aligned with specific industries, including Finance, Construction, Transport, Safety and Security, Education, and Services sectors.
While some SETA bursaries are managed by Unisa, students may also apply directly via the relevant SETA websites if not invited.
Basic requirements:
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South African citizenship
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Age between 18 and 35
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Minimum average of 50% in the previous year of study
Some SETAs also allow employed applicants to apply.
Relevant SETAs include:
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FASSET – Finance and Accounting
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CETA – Construction and Engineering
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TETA – Transport
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SASSETA – Safety and Security
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ETDP-SETA – Education
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BANKSETA – Banking
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Services SETA – Various educational sectors
Students should keep an eye on their myLife email accounts for invitations to apply.
For more bursary opportunities and updates, visit the Bursaries Portal.
