Funza Lushaka Bursary 2025

The Department of Education is inviting students to apply for the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, for the 2025 academic year.

The bursary will fund Undergraduate studies, towards the following teaching qualifications:

• 4-year Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Care and Education (B. Ed. ECCE) for ECD Grade RR – R.
• 4-year Bachelor of Education degree (B.Ed.), specialising in one of the following: Foundation Phase (Grade R – 3), Intermediate Phase (Grade 4 – 6) and Senior and Further Education and Training Teaching (Grade 7-12).

Please note:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) will not be funded in 2025.
• The Funza Lushaka Bursary will NOT fund the following subjects: History, Geography, Accounting, Economics, Business Studies and Physical Education (these are in the DBE unemployment database and are regarded as being in oversupply).
• The Funza Lushaka Bursary will fund South African Indigenous Languages (excluding English and Afrikaans, as they are regarded as being in oversupply).
• The Funza Lushaka Bursary will NOT fund subjects with low uptake in schools: Religious Studies, Music, Dance, Art.
• Combinations of Language and one content are discouraged as they disadvantage schools during timetabling (the teacher can only teach one subject).

The bursary will provide cover for the following expenses:

• Tuition fees,
• Books and learning materials,
• Accommodation,
• Meals,
• Teaching practice
• If possible, a small allowance for monthly living expenses depending on the cost of tuition.

Bursaries are awarded for 1 academic year at a time and students are required to reapply for funding each year. Renewal of the bursary is NOT guaranteed, but is dependent on students academic performance.

Obligation: After graduation, bursary recipients must apply for teaching positions in public schools after qualifying, within 6 months after graduating. Students must teach for 1 year for each year of funding received.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying :

All applicants must meet the following criteria:

• You must be a South African citizen
• You must have a valid South African ID number
• You must be 30 years old or younger, if applying for the first time (on 1 October 2024)
• You must have been accepted into an approved BEd degree programme and specialise in two or more of the priority subject areas (extended programmes are NOT covered)
• You must have been accepted to study at a public university in South Africa
• You must have a strong academic record
• You must be willing to teach at any school, as selected by the Provincial Education Department (PED)
• You must be interested in working with young people; be enthusiastic for a professional career in teaching; and be ready to face and surmount difficult challenges with integrity
• You must NOT have any other teaching qualifications
• You must NOT have a criminal record
• You must read the Funza Lushaka Bursary Information before applying

First time university entrants must also meet the following criteria:

• You must have passed Matric with an exemption, endorsement or bachelor degree admission
• You must have achieved a minimum of level 4 (50%) in Matric for 2 subjects you intend on specialising to teach
• Students who will specialise in Foundation Phase: you must have achieved a minimum level 2 (30%) pass for Mathematics OR a minimum level 4 (50%) pass for Mathematical Literacy AND a minimum of level 4 (50%) pass for your Home Language in Matric
• Students who will specialise in Intermediate Phase: you must have achieved a minimum level 4 (50%) pass for Mathematics AND a minimum of level 4 (50%) pass for your Home Language in Matric
• Students who will specialise in Intermediate Phase: you must specialise in 2 of the following: Indigenous South African Language subjects, Natural Science and Technology, if you completed Mathematics in Matric
• Students who will specialise in Intermediate Phase: you must specialise in Indigenous South African Language subject, Natural Science and Technology, if you completed Language, Physical Science and Life Science level 4 pass and level 5 (60%) pass for Mathematics Literacy in Matric
• Students who will specialise in Senior/FET phase: you must have achieved a Matric pass with endorsement/ Grade 12 pass with bachelor’s, with a minimum pass of level 4 (50%) in two priority subject areas
• Students who will specialise in Senior/FET phase, in the teaching of Technical subjects, including Computer Applications Technology (CAT): you must have achieved a minimum of level 4 pass in Mathematics or Technical Mathematics in Matric

Note: if the tertiary institution’s entry requirements are higher than the bursary requirement, or vice versa, the higher requirement will apply.

Currently funded students, already studying at university (2nd, 3rd or 4th year):

• You must have passed all of the modules studied in the year prior to the bursary application at the Higher Education Institution which are Funza Lushaka Priority subjects Areas
• You must have achieved a minimum 55% pass average across all the modules studied in the previous year of study at a Higher Education Institution
• You must have achieved a minimum 66.5% pass average in modules studied in the
• applicant’s previous year of study at university which relate directly to the priority
• subject area of teaching specialisation