If you are applying for funding for 2027, the StudyTrust bursary application is one of the most efficient you can complete. You apply once, and StudyTrust matches you to every bursary you qualify for across the trusts, foundations and corporate donors it administers.
Applications opened on 1 June 2026 and most close on 30 September 2026, though a few sponsors set different deadlines. StudyTrust warns that its platform gets very busy as the deadline approaches, so applying early is genuinely worth doing.
Who StudyTrust Is
StudyTrust is an educational trust and public benefit organisation established in 1974. It administers bursaries on behalf of trusts, foundations and private and corporate donors, and has awarded more than 30 000 bursaries and scholarships worth over R1 billion. It is a registered educational trust, PBO tax exempt, and a UNHCR implementing partner.
It is not itself a funder. It manages the application, selection and payment process on behalf of sponsors, which is why a single application can reach many of them.
Who Can Apply for the StudyTrust Bursary
Selection rests on three things: academic potential, financial need, and the study programme you are enrolled in or planning to enrol in. StudyTrust funds across four groups:
- University students, undergraduate and postgraduate — the majority of bursaries, for full-time students in critical and scarce skills
- University of Technology students — a limited number, for full-time students with a pass symbol in all subjects in careers in demand
- TVET and Agricultural College students — a few bursaries for full-time students
- High school learners (Grades 10–12) — one programme, for top achievers scoring 90% and above in Mathematics and Accounting or Physical Science
Household income limits
Income criteria vary by sponsor. Some fund students who qualify for NSFAS, others focus exclusively on the “missing middle” — commonly defined as households with a combined annual gross income between R350 000 and R700 000.
StudyTrust does not have bursaries for applicants from families with a combined annual income above R850 000.
Documents You Need
You cannot submit until every required field is complete and every document uploaded, so gather these first:
- Identity document — a certified copy of your South African ID
- Academic record — your first semester 2026 results, or second term report card if you are at school. Matriculants need final Grade 11 results plus the second term 2026 report; completed matrics need official NSC results
- Proof of address — some bursaries are restricted to specific areas, for example within 50 km of a renewable energy plant
- Proof of income for both parents or guardians — payslips, an affidavit for unemployed or self-employed parents, bank statements or audited financials for business owners, a SASSA letter, death certificates, or a court letter for child support where parents are divorced
- A clear head-and-shoulders photograph of yourself
How to Write a StudyTrust Bursary Application That Gets Read
StudyTrust receives thousands of applications and screens initially on data accuracy, so small errors cost people places. Their own guidance is worth following closely:
- Be accurate. If a bursary is for third-year Accounting students graduating in 2027 and your details are wrong, you will not be considered.
- Take the essays seriously. They are used to build the profile shown to sponsors.
- Check your spelling, and capitalise names and surnames properly.
- Write the essays yourself. StudyTrust states plainly that you may use AI tools for spelling and grammar, but applications with AI-written essays will not be considered. Sponsors want your own voice and reasons.
- Give the exact programme name, institution, start and end dates, and your academic year this year and next.
As they put it, a bursary can be an investment of up to half a million rand in your education, and sponsors look for care, effort and attention to detail.
How to Apply
Applications are made online at studytrust.org.za/bursary-applications. The form begins with POPI Act consent, then document upload, then confirmation of the details read from your documents, then personal, study and family income information.
Questions can go to apply@studytrust.org.za.
An Important Warning
StudyTrust states this directly: its bursaries are never for sale, and it does not work through intermediaries or external organisations. All applications are managed directly by StudyTrust. If anyone claims to be able to secure you a StudyTrust bursary, or asks for payment, do not engage with them.
This is worth repeating because bursary scams are common in South Africa. No legitimate bursary charges an application fee.
Apply Widely
StudyTrust itself encourages applicants to apply elsewhere too, including NSFAS. Other options currently open for 2027 include the Eskom Bursary 2027, closing 22 September 2026, and the IDC External Bursary for STEM, Commerce and Law, closing around 30 September 2026.
NSFAS and Funza Lushaka have not yet opened for 2027 at the time of writing. Browse everything currently open on our Bursaries page, or look for work on our Jobs page.
Details on this page were taken from StudyTrust’s official website on 14 September 2026. Always confirm against the official listing before applying. We are not the funder and do not receive or process applications.