If you want to have a career in teaching, the Funza Lushaka Bursary is a great financial aid option for you. 2025 Funza Lushaka bursary applications are now open.
Applications for the Funza Lushaka Bursary will close on 24th January 2025 for new students which means that you only have around four months to apply. Applications for Existing or Returning Bursars will close on 30 November 2025.
Funza Lushaka Bursary Requirements
First, you have to be under 30 years old and have no other teaching qualifications. You should be intending to study either a Bachelors of Education or a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE).
You must be a South African citizen with a valid South African ID and have a good academic ability. A major requirement is that you must be committed to teach in any school which you will be placed in by a Provincial Education Department.
How To Apply
First open the e-Gov portal and register by providing personal information. Then, login to the system using the username and password you created when registering.
On the e-Services Menu select "Education" and then the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme and enter the OTP you received on the preferred channel. Accept the Terms and Conditions.
On the dashboard menu click on the 2026 application button and follow the steps to complete the required field with your information. Then, accept the declaration to confirm the information captured.
Once you’ve applied, it’s good to keep track with your bursary application. To check your Funza Lushaka bursary application status, go to the eServices Website you used to log in.
Enter your username and password and click the login button. Then, click on Funza Lushaka Bursary and you can then check your application status.
The Funza Bursary covers the 4-year Bachelor of Education degree specialising in either Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase or Senior and Further Education and Training Teaching.
It also covers the One-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education which is also known as a PGCE. Only the PGCE for Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching for Grade 7-12 will be covered though.
It's important to know that the distribution of bursaries by programme will be determined by the Department of Basic Education depending on the identified priorities subject areas.
When deciding who should get the bursary, the department looks at which subjects are being studied. The national priority subject areas which the department gives preference to with the Funza Lushaka Bursary are the following:
- For Foundation Phase it’s Foundation Phase subjects with preference for African Languages, Neurodevelopment Needs, Braille and South African Sign Language.
- For the Intermediate and Senior Phase, preference will be given for a teaching major in any TWO of the following: Languages, Mathematics, and Natural Science & Technology
- For the FET phase, preference will be given for a teaching major in two of the subjects which the department has marked as priority subjects which ranges from Accounting and Economics to IT, Life Sciences and Mathematics.
The Funza Lushaka Bursary covers tuition fees, accommodation including meals, learning materials and they provide a monthly living allowance for living expenses.
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