How do I apply for the Funza Lushaka bursary for 2027, and do I qualify?
Short answer, as of Thursday 29 October 2026: the Funza Lushaka teaching bursary for 2027 is open. First-time applicants close on 31 January 2027 and returning bursars close on 30 November 2026 (DBE, 2026). You apply online, free, on the government's eServices portal, but only after a university has accepted or provisionally accepted you for a four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) and given you a student number. You must be under 30, a South African citizen, and planning to teach at least two subjects the Department of Basic Education (DBE) says schools need.
That last condition is where most hopefuls come unstuck in 2027. The bursary has quietly narrowed: no PGCE, and no funding for several popular teaching subjects. So before you spend time on the form, use the checks below to see whether your planned subjects are even in the running.
What Funza Lushaka actually pays for
The DBE's 2027 application notes say the bursary covers:
- tuition fees
- accommodation, including meals
- books and learning materials
- teaching practice
- if possible, a small monthly living allowance, depending on your university's costs
There's a cap. If your university's fees are above it, you top up the difference yourself. If they're below it, Funza Lushaka pays the actual cost, not the cap. The DBE doesn't publish one rand figure for every student, because each university's costs differ.
The catch is the work-back: you must teach for one year for every year you were funded. Four years of bursary means four years of teaching in a public school.
Do you qualify? The five gates
You need to pass all five. These come straight from the 2027 application notes.
| Gate | The rule for 2027 |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | South African citizen with a valid SA ID |
| Age | Under 30. The notes use 31 March 2027 as the cut-off date for the 2027 year of study |
| Qualification | A four-year BEd at a public university (or the BEd in Early Childhood Care and Education, University of Pretoria project only). No PGCE, no extended programmes, no honours or master's |
| First teaching qualification | If you already have a teaching qualification, you don't qualify |
| Clean record | No entry on the SAPS criminal record, the National Register for Sex Offenders or the Department of Social Development's register for child offenders. If an offence is more than ten years old, the notes say you can apply to the Department of Justice for expungement |
If your age is borderline, ask your university's Funza Lushaka office before you apply. The eServices page says the bursary targets students "younger than 30", while the funzalushaka.doe.gov.za homepage says "30 years or younger", so get a written answer for your date of birth.
Which subjects are funded, and which aren't
To be funded for the Intermediate, Senior or FET phase, your BEd must let you specialise in at least two priority subject areas. For 2027 the DBE has spelled out what it won't fund:
| Not funded in 2027 | Why the DBE gives |
|---|---|
| History, Geography, Accounting, Economics, Business Studies, EMS, Life Orientation, Physical Education | Already oversupplied: these subjects appear in its unemployed-teacher database |
| Religious Studies, Music, Dance, Art | Low uptake in schools |
| Two languages together (for example English plus isiZulu) | Hard for schools to timetable. Pair one language with a content subject instead |
| PGCE (one year, for graduates) | Not funded in 2027 |
On languages, the notes say Funza Lushaka will mainly fund South African indigenous languages, plus Afrikaans in the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape, with only a small number of English teachers funded.
What this means in practice: a plan like "BEd Senior and FET, isiXhosa and Mathematics" fits the rules. A plan like "BEd FET, History and Geography" doesn't, even with excellent marks. If you're still choosing your majors, choose them with this list open.
Minimum marks for first-year applicants
You need a bachelor's pass (the old "exemption" or "endorsement"). Then each phase has its own minimum. If your university asks for more, the higher requirement applies.
| Phase you want to teach | Minimum marks on top of a bachelor's pass |
|---|---|
| Foundation Phase (Grade R to 3) | Maths at level 3 (40%) or Maths Literacy at level 4 (50%), plus Home Language at level 4 (50%) |
| Intermediate Phase (Grade 4 to 6) | Maths at level 3 (40%) or Maths Literacy at level 5 (60%), plus Home Language at level 4 (50%) |
| Senior and FET Phase (Grade 7 to 12) | Level 4 (50%) in the two priority subjects you'll specialise in |
| Technical subjects, including CAT, if you didn't take them at school | At least level 4 in Maths or Technical Maths |
Example scenario (an illustration, not a real applicant): a Grade 12 learner expects 45% for Mathematics, 62% for isiZulu Home Language and a bachelor's pass. On the 2027 rules, that meets the marks for a Foundation Phase or Intermediate Phase BEd. If the same learner gets 38% for Maths, that's below level 3, so they would miss the Maths rule for both phases, even with a strong language mark. Learners take either Maths or Maths Literacy, not both, so there's no swapping later. Treat these numbers as the floor, not the target.
Meeting the minimums doesn't guarantee a bursary. The DBE says there's a limited number of new bursaries for 2027 and the best students are selected.
How to apply, step by step
First, get your university place. The notes are blunt: you may only apply once you have a valid student number and an acceptance or provisional acceptance for a BEd. Many universities make provisional offers from Grade 11 and June results, so check your university application portal for an offer and a student number.
Then, from the official Funza Lushaka steps:
- Open the government eServices portal at eservices.gov.za. Type the address yourself.
- Register with your personal details, then log in with the username and password you created.
- On the eServices menu, choose Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme.
- Enter the OTP sent to you. Never share it with anyone, including someone "helping" you.
- Accept the terms and conditions.
- Click the 2027 application button on the dashboard.
- Fill in every field carefully, especially your priority subject areas. Capture the subjects you will actually specialise in.
- Accept the declaration and submit.
- Submit your supporting documents to your university's Funza Lushaka office, as the notes instruct. Ask that office which documents it wants and how.
You can go back in and update your details while applications are open. If you change university after the system closes, you won't be considered, so update your admission status before 31 January 2027.
Your timeline from now to results
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Now (Oct to Nov 2026) | Check your BEd offer and student number. If you need NSFAS as a backup, its 2027 applications close on Saturday 31 October 2026: see how to apply for NSFAS 2027 |
| By 30 November 2026 | Returning bursars must reapply for 2027 |
| Mid-January 2027 | Matric results are expected (the DBE has not confirmed the date yet; last year's were released on 13 January 2026) |
| By 31 January 2027 | New applicants must have applied. No applications are considered after the closing date |
| By 30 April 2027 | The outcome is due from your university, according to the eServices page |
The DBE itself advises new applicants to also apply for other funding such as NSFAS, because places are limited. NSFAS manages the Funza Lushaka fund for the DBE, but the two are separate applications.
If you already have the bursary: keeping it
Funza Lushaka is awarded one year at a time. To be re-awarded for your second, third or fourth year, the notes say you must:
- pass every priority-subject module you took in the previous year
- average at least 55% across all your modules
- average at least 66.5% in the modules linked to your teaching specialisation
- be progressing to the next year of study with a full load
Two traps that catch bursars: if you drop Funza Lushaka for a year, you won't be considered again later, and if you change your priority subjects on your own, the bursary can be revoked and you'd repay the full amount with interest at the NSFAS rate. There's no automatic funding for a fifth year.
After you graduate: the part to read before signing
The 2027 notes say there is no preferential placement. You must actively apply for teaching posts in public schools for six months after graduating and be able to prove you did. You then teach one year for every funded year. Read your bursary contract properly and keep a signed copy: it's the document that sets your obligations.
Who to contact, and scam warnings
- Questions first go to your university's Funza Lushaka coordinator. The DBE asks students not to contact NSFAS or the DBE directly for routine queries.
- To escalate, phone the DBE on 012 357 3000 or email enquiries.funzalushaka@dbe.gov.za (DBE, 2026). Don't go to the DBE offices in person.
- Applying is free. Nobody needs your password or OTP to "fast-track" a Funza Lushaka bursary. Anyone asking for money, or posting "apply here" links that don't lead to eservices.gov.za or funzalushaka.doe.gov.za, is a scam. Read our never pay to apply checklist.
Your next step today
Open your university application portal and confirm two things: a BEd offer (even provisional) and a student number. If you have both and your subjects are on the funded side of the table above, apply on eServices this week. If you don't have an offer yet, finish your NSFAS application before Saturday, then set a reminder for the first week of January to apply for Funza Lushaka once your offer comes through.
Sources
Checked on 29 October 2026.
- DBE: Online applications for the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme now open
- DBE: Funza Lushaka Bursary Application Notes 2027 (PDF)
- Government eServices: Funza Lushaka Bursary
- DBE: Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme
- Funza Lushaka official site: how to apply
- DBE: Release of NSC examination results
Quick answers
When does the Funza Lushaka bursary close for 2027?
New, first-time applicants must apply by 31 January 2027. Existing bursars reapplying for another year must apply by 30 November 2026. Applications opened on 1 October 2026.
Can I apply for Funza Lushaka before I get my matric results?
You can only apply once a university has given you a student number and accepted or provisionally accepted you for a BEd. If you already have a provisional offer, you can apply now; if not, you have until 31 January 2027, which is after results are expected in mid-January.
Does Funza Lushaka have to be paid back?
Not if you keep the conditions. You must teach one year for every year you were funded. If you break the conditions, for example by changing your priority subjects on your own, you may have to repay the full amount with interest at the NSFAS rate.
Does Funza Lushaka fund the PGCE?
No. The 2027 application notes say the one-year PGCE will not be funded in 2027, and neither are extended programmes, honours, master's or doctoral studies.
Naledi Sithole is the pen name of The Application Coach editorial team. Rules, dates and figures come from the official sources linked above and were checked on the date shown; they change every year, so confirm on the official NSFAS, institution or bursary website. Example scenarios are illustrations, not real applicants. We never charge for applications or ask for your login details, OTPs or ID documents.