ABSA CSI Trust: Historical Debt Relief Programme 2025

Absa is inviting graduates to apply for their 2025 ABSA CSI Trust Graduate Historical Debt Relief Intervention. 

The ABSA CSI Trust Graduate Historical Debt Relief Programme was created to address the growing challenge of graduates burdened by unpaid historical student debt, that prevents them from receiving their qualifications and entering the job market.

Through this initiative, the Absa CSI Trust provides funding to clear outstanding student debt for graduates from selected higher education institutions who have successfully completed their studies but are unable to obtain their certificates due to unpaid fees. By removing this financial barrier, Absa helps graduates unlock new opportunities to participate fully in South Africa’s economy.

In addition to debt relief, the Absa CSI Trust also supports these graduates in their transition to employment by partnering with the Youth Employment Service (YES). This collaboration connects graduates to real work opportunities, helping them gain experience and establish sustainable careers.

To ensure the smooth rollout of the programme, the Feenix Trust has been appointed to manage and facilitate the debt clearance process on behalf of the Absa CSI Trust.

Fields of study:

Students who have completed their degrees in the following areas but cannot graduate due to outstanding fees, may apply.

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
• Digital Economy
• Green Economy,

The programme funds students who studied at these selected universities: 

• University of Limpopo,
• University of Venda,
• Tshwane University of Technology,
• Mangosuthu University of Technology,
• University of Zululand.

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying:

• You must be a South African citizen
• You must have completed your studies towards a degree in a STEM field or a field that is aligned to the Digital Economy and the Green Economy (you must NOT be currently studying)
• You must have studied at one of the following public university in South Africa: University of Limpopo, University of Venda, Tshwane University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, University of Zululand
• You must have been unable to graduated due to historical debt/ outstanding study fees
• You must be currently unemployed and not enrolled for studies
• You must have a total household income of LESS than R700 000 per annum