Funza Lushaka bursaries

Bursaries for prospective teachers

The Department of Basic Education makes available Funza Lushaka bursaries (service contract loans) to undergraduate degree and PGCE students intending to teach in the Foundation phase or in the subjects African languages, English, mathematics or the sciences and technology, or the following FET subjects: accounting, economics and geography.

Information for 2012

This page will be updated when any new information becomes available.

Funza Lushaka applications have opened for new applications. They will close on 14 January 2012 for new applications. See the website for more details. Bursaries will be worth R66 000. Early application is encouraged. Note that, as there can be no guarantee of receiving a bursary and as bursaries will only be awarded after registration in 2012, applicants must be prepared to pay their own fees - and cannot simply assume that a bursary will be awarded

Applications can only be made on www.funzalushaka.doe.gov.za. You can only apply for the bursary, however, after you have received acceptance to study at UCT.

Please read the application notes on the Funza Lushaka website carefully before you apply.

They are competitive bursaries. Each university receives a limited number of bursaries to award and the number of applications for them exceeds the number of bursaries. Criteria for the award of the bursaries include academic achievement, studying the right subjects for the bursary, usually for at least two years in your degree before the PGCE, and commitment to teaching, particularly in schools where there is a shortage of teachers.

A bursary can be renewed annually provided you make satisfactory progress.

The main condition of the bursary is that you agree to teach in a state teaching post (not a Governing Body post) for a year for each year that the bursary is held. You will be required to sign an agreement that you will accept any post in which you are placed in the year following the completion of your PGCE (no extensions granted), or make arrangements to re-pay the bursary. You may indicate your preferred province but there is not a guarantee that you will be placed in it.

Contact Prof. Rob Siebörger, preferably by e-mail, for any queries.