What is the Funza Lushaka Bursary?
The Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme is a program that provides financial support to students pursuing teaching degrees. Upon completion of studies, a beneficiary is assigned a school by the provincial education department and is required to teach that school for a period equivalent to the bursary’s duration.
The total value of the bursary varies among different recipients due to different university cost structures. It covers the recipient’s necessary expenses such as tuition, learning materials, accommodation, and meals. In some cases, you will also receive a small monthly allowance for other living expenses. The bursary is valid for only one academic year and is not automatically re-awarded. Applicants have to apply to renew the application on an annual basis. The outcome is awarded based on academic ability.
Who qualifies for the bursary?
- South African citizens with a valid ID number
- Graduates who want to become teachers or complete a teaching degree and have been accepted into an approved BEd degree or PGCE program to which specializes in two or more of the preferred subject areas
- Individuals who would like to make a career change and become teachers
- People who demonstrate high integrity and enthusiasm for a professional teaching career
Anyone who already has other teaching qualifications does not qualify. Applicants with criminal records or who have been dismissed from work are also not eligible for the bursary.
How to Register
To register for the Funza Lushaka Bursary, proceed with the following steps:
1. Visit www.eservices.gov.z a.
2. Click “Sign Up/Register” on the menu at the top of the page. Register your online profile by filling in your personal details.
3. Once registration is complete, log in to the system using the username and password you created when registering.
4. Navigate to the e-Services menu and select “Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme”. Once you are logged in, go to the e-Services menu and choose Funza Lushaka Bursary.
5. Enter the one-time password (OTP) received on your preferred channel
6. Read and accept the Terms and Conditions
7. Click on the “2021 application” button on the dashboard menu,
8. Follow the steps to fill in the required fields with your information
9. Accept the declaration, which confirms that the information you have provided is true.
Once the application is complete, print the completed online application and submit it to the university where you are accepted and registered. When submitting the application form, make sure to include the following:
- A certified copy of your ID
- A certified copy of your academic records
- A certified copy of your matric (Grade 12) certificate (for 1st-year applicants coming out of Grade 12)
- A certified copy of your latest academic transcript (for university students)
As an applicant, you can change your application details by visiting “Update personal details”. You cannot, however, change the details of the institution and the selected areas of specialization. You also cannot update your details after the deadline closing date. Applications close in November for existing or returning bursary recipients and in February for new applications. The application outcome is made available no later than 30 April.
The bursary funds two categories of qualifications:
- Undergraduate: A Bachelor of Education degree (BEd) with specializations in the Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase, Senior Phase, and FET Phase. This is a four-year program.
- Graduates: Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). This is a one-year program.
The following are priority areas of the bursary:
Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3):
Foundation Phase specialization (there is a preference for African Languages)
Intermediate and Senior Phase (Grades 4 to 9):
Bursary applicants should specialize in at least two of the following subjects:
- Languages
- Mathematics
- Natural Science & Technology
FET phase (Grades 10 to 12):
Bursary applicants should specialize in at least two of the following subjects:
- Accounting
- Agricultural Sciences
- Agricultural Technology
- Civil Technology
- Computer Applications Technology
- Economics
- Electrical Technology
- Engineering Graphics and Design
- Geography
- Information Technology
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Technology
- Physical Sciences
What are the minimum academic requirements for the bursary?
First-time entrants to university:
- A grade 12 Bachelor’s degree pass
- A Level 4 (50%) in Grade 12 for two of the teaching subjects of specialization
- For Foundation Phase applicants: Level 4 (50%) in Mathematics or Level 5 (60%) pass in Mathematical Literacy and Level 4 (50%) for a Grade 12 Home Language.
- For applicants specializing in Technology subjects but did not do the subjects Grade 12: Level 4 (50%) in Mathematics or Technical Mathematics.
New applicants who are already university students:
- Applicant must pass all university modules in the previous year
- A minimum of a 55% average in all university modules in the previous year
- A minimum of a 55% average in all university modules in the subject areas that the applicant wishes to specialize in
For new applicants enrolling for PGCE
- A recognized and completed qualification that allows admission to a PGCE.
- The Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme will only fund the Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching (Grades 7- 12). The student must have studied at least one of the priority subjects at the third-year level and the other at the second-year level.
- The applicant must study at least two of the priority subjects at a second-year level at university
The Funza Lushaka bursary must be repaid only if the recipient:
- Fails to complete the studies
- Does not meet the requirements of the bursary agreement
- Registers for a study program that falls outside of the designated subject areas
- Does not apply for a teaching position at a public school once studies are completed
- Leaves a teaching post at a public school before the end of the agreed service period
You can visit the Funza Lushaka coordinators at your university for more information. For further inquiries, you can email the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme at inquiries.funzalushaka@dbe.gov.za or call the office at 012 357 3000.