Bursary

FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Bursary 2026: Secure Your Postgraduate Future Now

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[FirstRand Empowerment Foundation] invites qualified applicants to apply for their Postgraduate (Honours) Bursary Programme Vacancies. The closing date for applications is 1 December 2025.

About the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Bursary

The FirstRand Empowerment Foundation (FREF) wants to help South African students finish their studies. They give money to people who want to do a one‑year Honours course at a public university. FREF’s 2026 bursary helps students from families that don’t have a lot of money but have good grades. By covering costs, FREF hopes students can focus on learning and later help build a stronger South Africa.

Where Students Can Study

The bursary is open to Honours‑level courses in many subjects. You can study any of the following:

  • Accounting
  • Actuarial Science
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Psychology (BA Honours Arts)
  • Biosciences
  • Business Information
  • Climate Sciences
  • Computer Science
  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Electronics
  • Engineering
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Financial Management
  • Indigenous Knowledge Systems
  • Information Management
  • Information Science
  • Information Systems
  • Information Technology
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Renewable Energy
  • Risk
  • General Sciences
  • Society and Sustainability
  • Statistics

If you’re interested in one of these areas, the bursary can help you.

What the Bursary Pays For

FREF covers most of the money you need so you can concentrate on your studies:

  1. Tuition fees – covers university costs.
  2. Books – a stipend for textbooks and study material.
  3. Living or travel allowance – helps you keep up with day‑to‑day expenses or travel to campus.
  4. Food vouchers – good for buying meals.
  5. Airtime allowance – bribes your phone credit for stay‑connected.

This full support means you don’t have to worry about money while you’re learning.

Who Can Apply? – Eligibility Rules

To be considered, you must meet all of these:

  • Be a South African citizen.
  • Be between 21 and 35 years old.
  • Have finished Matric (high‑school diploma).
  • Have at least 60 % in Mathematics (not the basic Math Literacy test).
  • Finish an undergraduate degree somewhere between 2023 and 2025.
  • Keep a minimum 60 % overall average during your undergraduate work.
  • Be enrolled in a full‑time, one‑year Honours programme.
  • Be doing your first postgraduate degree.
  • Study at a public university in South Africa.
  • Be from a household that earns no more than R700,000 a year.

If you meet all of the above, you’re a good match for this bursary.

What Papers Do You Need to Send?

You’ll have to upload clear, recent copies of these documents (not older than six months):

  1. South African ID – proof of identity.
  2. Matric certificate – your high‑school diploma.
  3. Full transcript – shows all your grades.
  4. Proof of 2026 university acceptance – a letter or online confirmation.
  5. Proof of household income – recent payslips, affidavits, bank statements, or SASSA grant letters.
  6. (Optional) Disability confirmation – if you have a disability, submit the EEA1 form and a doctor’s note.

Make sure everything is clear and up to date.

How to Apply – Step‑by‑Step

  1. Click the link to fill the online form:
    Apply for the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Postgraduate Bursary 2026

  2. When the form asks how you heard about it, type: www.zabursaries.co.za

  3. Upload all the required documents.

  4. Review everything, then submit.

Type any doubts or questions into the form or contact the foundation through their website.

Keep the Date in Mind

  • Closing date: 1 December 2025.
    All applications after this date will not be accepted. Apply early so you have enough time to collect the documents and complete the form.

Why Should You Apply?

This bursary does more than pay for school. It gives you a chance to:

  • Study a subject you love without worrying about money.
  • Build a strong academic record that helps you find future jobs.
  • Become part of a group of students who are shaping South Africa’s future.
  • Gain confidence and independence, knowing you’ve earned this support.

If you’re a South African student ready to take the next step in higher education, the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Bursary could be the key that unlocks your future. Don’t miss the chance—apply by 1 December 2025 and start building a brighter tomorrow.

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