Department of Basic Education · National
Funza Lushaka Bursary for 2026
Last confirmed against the official source: 31 August 2026Key facts
- Closing date
- Closing date on official site
- Field of study
- Initial teacher education in priority subject areas, including Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and South African Indigenous Languages
- Location
- South Africa
Who can apply
Age
First-time applicants should be below 30 years of age
Study
Accepted or provisionally accepted into an approved Bachelor of Education degree programme and specialising in at least two priority subject areas
Academic
- Applicants should demonstrate good academic ability
- Applicants must meet the published minimum academic criteria for the relevant study route
- Returning students must show academic progress and meet the published progression criteria
Teaching
Interest in working with young people, enthusiasm for a professional teaching career, and readiness to face difficult challenges with integrity
Exclusions
- The 2026 notes state that a PGCE is not funded for this cycle
Citizenship
South African citizen with a valid South African ID card
Minimum requirements
- Apply online through the official Funza Lushaka or e-Gov route; hard-copy applications are not accepted
- Have a valid student number and be accepted or provisionally accepted at a university of choice
- Choose an approved teacher-education qualification with at least two priority subject specialisations
- Meet the current minimum academic criteria in the official 2026 application notes
- Read and accept the bursary agreement and its teaching service obligation
Documents you will need
- South African identity document
- Official academic results and supporting study information requested by the application portal
The Funza Lushaka Bursary supports eligible South African students preparing for a teaching career through an approved teacher-education route. Check the official site for the current application window, academic criteria, priority subjects, documents, and service obligations before applying.
You may be a fit if you are a South African citizen, meet the age and academic rules for your route, have acceptance or provisional acceptance for an approved teacher-education programme, and can specialise in priority subject areas. Confirm every current rule on the official source.
- Confirm your citizenship, age, acceptance, and intended teacher-education qualification
- Check that your subject combination includes the current priority areas
- Gather your identity document, academic results, student number, and portal-requested information
- Apply online through the official Funza Lushaka or e-Gov route
- Read the current bursary agreement and teaching service obligation
Where do I apply?
Start with the official Funza Lushaka site or e-Gov application route and follow the current instructions there.
Is the closing date shown here?
Pathfinder does not store a confirmed closing date for this approved record. Check the official Funza Lushaka site before applying.
How to apply
Apply directly on the official site — we never take applications ourselves.
Apply on the official site →Facts on this page come from the official announcement:
https://www.funzalushaka.doe.gov.za/