ABOUT THE FIRSTRAND EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION BURSARY PROGRAMME – FIELDS COVERED
The FirstRand Empowerment Foundation is inviting students to apply for their Bursary Programme, for the 2026 academic year.
Bursaries will be awarded for studies towards critical skills programmes, specifically for Undergraduate Degree studies in the following fields:
Educational funding
Bachelor's degree
- Agricultural Sciences: All specialisations
- Arts: Psychology
- Commercial Sciences: Accounting, Actuarial Science, Economics, Financial Management
- Engineering: All specialisations
- Environmental Sciences: Climate Sciences, Renewable Energy
- Information Sciences: Business Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Science, Information Systems, Information Management, Information Technology
- Mathematical Sciences: Mathematics, Risk, Statistics
- Natural Sciences: Biosciences, Electronics, Physics
- Social Sciences and Law: Society and Sustainability, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Law
(Read about the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Honours Bursary here).
MORE ABOUT THE FIRSTRAND EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION BURSARY PROGRAMME – EXPENSES COVERED & OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
The bursary will provide cover for the following expenses: tuition fees, learning resources, computer (for 1st year students), accommodation, meals and a monthly stipend.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FIRSTRAND EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION BURSARY
Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):
Educational funding
Bachelor's degree
Educational funding options
University loans
- You must be a South African citizen
- You must be Black, as defined by the BBBEE Act
- You must NOT be older than 21 years in your first year of study
- You must be currently in Matric or have completed Matric within the last 3 years (applicants who completed Matric more than 3 years ago may NOT apply)
- You must have achieved a minimum of level 5 for Mathematics in Matric
- You must have a strong academic record
- You must intend on studying full time, towards a first undergraduate degree in one of the fields listed above
- You must be entering your 1st year of study in 2026 (postgraduate funding will be considered in special circumstances where a postgraduate qualification (PGD or Honours degree) is essential to give access to employment opportunities)
- You must have applied for and been provisionally admitted to study at a public university in South Africa, in 2026
- You must have a combined gross family income NOT more than R600 000 per annum
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE FIRSTRAND EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION BURSARY
Applications must be submitted online at: FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Bursary Application 2026
Educational funding
Applicants must read the Study Trust Bursary Applications Page before applying.
Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your application (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):
- Clear photograph (head and shoulders)
- South African ID document (certified copy)
- Grade 11 final results and Matric June results, if currently in Matric
- Matric certificate, if completed Matric
- Proof of university acceptance/ provisional acceptance for 2026
- Proof of parents or guardians household income (latest payslips if employed/ affidavit if unemployed/ affidavit stating annual income if self-employed/ most recent audited financial statement or 3 months’ most recent bank statements if they own a business/ SASSA letter stating the grants received if applicable)
- Parents death certificates if deceased
- Letter from the court stating child support amounts if parents are divorced or affidavit from the parent stating the child support amount received if parents are separated
CLOSING DATE FOR THE FIRSTRAND EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION BURSARY
30 September 2025.
(Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted – please apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)
CONTACT THE BURSARY PROVIDER
For any queries related to these bursary programmes, please contact StudyTrust (the administrators for this bursary) directly:
Tel: 011 403 1632
Email: apply@StudyTrust.org.za
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