Applications for the 2023 Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme officially opened on 17 October 2022 and will close for new students on 16 January 2023. This is exciting news for students who would like to become teachers, but cannot afford to pay the academic fees.
Now, you may be wondering: How does Funza Lushaka help students pay their way to a career in teaching? Well, the Funza Lushaka Bursary provides you with the funding you need to study toward your teaching degree. With that said, Funza Lushaka funds the following two programmes only:
- a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or
- a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in the Senior Phase and FET Teaching
The funds provided by Funza Lushaka are in the form of a bursary, which covers all your essential expenses, such as your tuition fees, accommodation (including meals), learning materials and a small allowance for your monthly living expenses.
If the Funza Lushaka Bursary sounds like the ideal programme for you, then read on to find out everything you need to know about sending your Funza Lushaka Bursary Application for 2023.
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Before we jump right in, let’s take a look at the requirements you’ll need to meet in order to qualify for a Funza Lushaka Bursary in South Africa.
Funza Lushaka Bursary Requirements
To be eligible for the Funza Lushaka Bursary, you need to have already been accepted into a recognised higher education institution that provides your programme of study. Beyond that, you also need to meet the general requirements for eligibility.
General Requirements for the Funza Lushaka Bursary
If you meet the general requirements of any one of the below criteria, you may be eligible for a Funza Lushaka Bursary:
- South African citizen with a valid ID number
- A learner who achieved high marks in Grade 12
- Below the age of 30 and looking to make a career change
- Below the age of 30 and unemployed, but passionate about teaching
- A dedicated and passionate individual who would like a professional career in teaching
- Willingness to teach in any school and be placed by a Provincial Education Department (PED)
Next, you will need to ensure that you meet the academic requirements for the Funza Lushaka Bursary in order to qualify and receive funding.
Academic Requirements for the Funza Lushaka Bursary
Funza Lushaka has stipulated the minimum academic requirements for the year 2023. The minimum requirements listed below apply to 1st-year students and those who are already enrolled at a university.
1st-year student requirements:
- An exemption, endorsement or ‘admission to bachelor degree studies’ pass at a matric or Grade 12 level
- A minimum of Level 4 pass at matric level in 2 subjects that you will specialise in to teach
- Foundation Phase students need a Level 2 pass in Mathematics, a Level 4 pass in Mathematical Literacy and a Level 4 Pass in your Home Language
- Intermediate Phase students need a Level 4 pass in Mathematics, Home Language and/or in Science subjects
- Students who’d like to teach CAT, IT or other technical stream subjects need to have a Level 4 pass in Mathematics or Technical Mathematics
*Note: If your higher education institution’s admission requirements are higher than these bursary requirements, then the higher requirement will apply.
New applicants already at university:
- Must have passed all modules studied in the year prior to your bursary application at your higher education institution
- Need to have at least 55% average across all your modules from your previous year of study
- Must have at least 66.6% average in modules that you studied or took as majors, with subjects needing to relate directly to your teaching specialisations
Note that the Funza Lushaka Bursary is awarded on the basis of your academic ability, and meeting these requirements does not mean you will automatically get a bursary. Only students with high academic achievements will be awarded a Funza Lushaka Bursary.
Funza Lushaka Bursary Requirements for PGCE students
If you don’t fall under the two categories mentioned above—and are looking to study towards your PGCE instead—then there are two important bursary requirements outlined by Funza Lushaka that you should take note of:
- You need to have successfully completed a recognised qualification that will qualify you to study toward a PGCE
- You must have two priority subjects that align with your specialisations; one must have been completed at a 3rd-year level and the other may have been completed at the 2nd-year level
Now that you know what requirements are needed for the Funza Lushaka Bursary, you may be wondering what your monthly allowance will be—should you be awarded the Funza Lushaka bursary. Let’s take a look at the Funza Lushaka Bursary monthly allowance.
Funza Lushaka Bursary Monthly Allowance
The Funza Lushaka Bursary costs differ from each higher education institution; however, it’s safe to say that the bursary covers a majority of your student expenses, such as:
- Tuition costs
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Learning materials (textbooks)
- Living expenses (in the form of a small allowance)
It’s important to note that there’s a limit to the funds you will receive and if your higher education institution charges you more than a limited amount, you’ll have to top-up using your own money.
Speaking of money, let’s take a look at how repayments work with the Funza Lushaka Bursary.
Funza Lushaka Bursary Repayment
Students looking to obtain a Funza Lushaka Bursary will be happy to know that there are no repayments for this bursary. With that said, you are required to do the following as a form of repayment to Funza Lushaka:
- You must teach at a public school for the same number of years that you received your bursary. This means that if you studied toward a 4-year BEd degree, you will have to teach at a public school for 4 years.
Should you not adhere to the above, you will have to repay your Funza Lushaka Bursary in full. This amount will be the full bursary amount that you loaned, minus one year’s funding for every year you spent at a public school. This includes interest rates charged and determined by NSFAS.
If you’re happy to comply with these conditions and meet all the requirements, then it’s time to apply for a Funza Lushaka Bursary!
2023 Funza Lushaka Bursary Application: How to Apply
Before you can apply for the Funza Lushaka Bursary online, you first need to register an account on the eGov portal and then follow these steps:
- Visit the eGov website.
- Click on ‘Login/Register’ on the homepage
- When the pop-up menu opens, select ‘Register’ on the bottom left corner
- Accept the Terms and Conditions and click ‘Continue’
- Fill in your personal details (name, surname, ID number, passport number)
- Fill in your contact details (mobile number and email address)
- Select your Suburb, Township or Village
- Create your password
- Verify your details with the verification code provided and select ‘Register’
Once you have registered an account on the eGov portal, you can apply for a Funza Lushaka Bursary. Here’s how to apply for a Funza Lushaka Bursary online in 2023:
- Login to the eGov Portal using the username and password you created when registering your account
- On the eGov services menu, click on ‘Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme’
- Enter the OTP from your preferred channel
- Accept the Terms and Conditions
- Once you’re on the dashboard, click on the 2023 application button
- Follow the steps to complete your application
- Accept the declaration and confirm your information
If you find that your application to Funza Lushaka isn’t working, here are some details to remember that might help with the process:
- You can only apply after you’ve been given a valid student number and have been either accepted or provisionally accepted at your university
- All applications must be done online
- No applications will be accepted after the closing date on 16 January 2023
- All your information has to be correct and accurate
- If you would like to update your personal details, you’ll need to do this before applications for the Funza Lushaka Bursary are set to close
- If you change higher education institutions before submitting your Funza Lushaka Bursary application form, it will not be considered
- You must apply online and submit your supporting documents to your university’s Funza Lushaka office
Submitting your supporting documents for Funza Lushaka is the last step you need to take when applying for your bursary. Let’s take a look at what documents you’ll need to prepare before sending your application.
Supporting Documents Needed for the Funza Lushaka Bursary
After you’ve finished your online application for the Funza Lushaka Bursary, you should be ready to submit your documents to your chosen university.
The supporting documents include a printed copy of your online Funza Lushaka Bursary application, as well as certified copies of the following:
- Your South African ID
- Your academic records
- Your matric certificate
- Your latest academic transcript (if you’re already at university)
Remember, even after you’ve met the requirements and applied, there’s still no guarantee that you will be awarded a Funza Lushaka Bursary. Luckily, you still have other options when it comes to funding!
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