Teaching is one of the few fields in South Africa where a full bursary covering tuition, accommodation, meals and books is genuinely available to students who qualify. That changes the economics of the decision entirely.
This page covers the entry requirements and then the funding, because for many applicants the funding determines whether the qualification is possible at all.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
What a teaching qualification generally requires.
- A National Senior Certificate with a Bachelor’s pass for a Bachelor of Education
- Alternatively a completed degree with appropriate subjects, for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
- Subject achievement matching the phase and subjects applied for
- A minimum in the language of instruction
- The institution’s admission score for the programme, revised annually
- A valid South African ID, or a passport with a study permit
- Application by the closing date, which can be earlier than the general date
- A police clearance for teaching practice and SACE registration
Education and Subject Requirements
Confirm admission requirements with the institution, since scores, subject minimums and closing dates are set by it and revised annually.
The national teaching bursary is the funding to pursue first. The Funza Lushaka bursary programme, administered through the Department of Basic Education, funds initial teacher education in priority subject areas. Where it applies, it covers substantially more than most bursaries. Confirm the current criteria, priority subject list, value and application process with the Department — they are set annually.
Priority subjects determine eligibility. The programme targets areas of shortage — typically Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Technology, Accounting, African languages and foundation phase teaching in an African language. Choosing a priority subject is what makes you eligible, and it also makes you far more employable afterwards.
The service obligation is a binding contract. Funza Lushaka requires you to teach at a public school for the number of years funded, in a placement the provincial education department determines. Non-compliance converts the bursary into a loan repayable with interest. Read the contract before signing, and understand that you may be placed anywhere in the province.
NSFAS is the other route. It funds qualifying students at public universities and TVET colleges on its own criteria and its own closing dates, independent of the university application. Apply for both if you may qualify for both.
Nobody may be employed as an educator without registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE). The South African Council for Educators Act 31 of 2000 makes it a condition of employment in public schools, independent schools and early childhood development centres alike.
Age, Fitness, Licence and Background Requirements
A police clearance is required for SACE registration and for working with children. A person listed on the National Child Protection Register under the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 or on the National Register for Sex Offenders may not work with children, and employers check both.
Teaching practice runs through the qualification and cannot be avoided or compressed. Student teachers generally need SACE provisional registration before a placement begins — apply at the start of the academic year.
There is no upper age limit on qualifying as a teacher, and career-changers are common and welcome.
The physical and vocal demands are real. Large classes, standing all day and constant speaking make voice care a genuine occupational issue for teachers. It is worth knowing about at the start rather than after a problem.
Placement under a bursary can be anywhere, including rural schools far from home. That is the trade-off for the funding and it should be a considered acceptance rather than a surprise.
Documents and Evidence Required
What is needed to apply and to fund the study.
- Certified copy of your South African ID or passport
- Certified copy of your National Senior Certificate or final Grade 12 results
- Certified copy of your degree certificate and transcripts, where applicable
- A SAQA evaluation, for a foreign qualification
- A police clearance certificate
- SACE registration or provisional registration documents
- Proof of payment of the application fee, where one applies
- A study permit, for international applicants
- A completed Funza Lushaka application, where you qualify
- A completed NSFAS application, on its own timeline
- Household income evidence, for means-tested funding
- A signed bursary contract, read before signing
Application and Selection Process
Apply directly to the institution as soon as applications open, and apply for Funza Lushaka and NSFAS separately on their own timelines. Missing a funding deadline means no funding regardless of admission.
Choose a priority subject if you can. It improves your bursary chances, your employability and your posting options simultaneously, and it is the single most consequential choice in the whole decision.
Public school posts are advertised through provincial education department bulletins with prescribed procedures and firm closing dates. Registration with SACE makes you employable; it does not place you.
Nobody can sell you a bursary or a post. Both are free to apply for and competitive. Any offer to secure either for payment is fraud — report it to the Department of Basic Education and the police.
- Confirm admission requirements and closing dates with the institution
- Apply for Funza Lushaka — it is the strongest funding in the field
- Choose a priority subject to qualify for the bursary and improve employability
- Read the Funza Lushaka service obligation before signing
- Understand that placement can be anywhere in the province
- Apply for NSFAS separately on its own timeline
- Obtain a police clearance certificate
- Apply for SACE provisional registration before teaching practice
- Watch provincial vacancy bulletins in your final year
- Never pay anyone claiming to secure a bursary or a post
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there full funding for teaching study?
The Funza Lushaka bursary programme funds initial teacher education in priority subject areas and covers substantially more than most bursaries. Confirm the current criteria and value with the Department of Basic Education.
What is the catch with the bursary?
A binding service obligation to teach at a public school for the number of years funded, in a placement the province determines. Non-compliance converts it into a loan repayable with interest.
Which subjects qualify?
Priority areas of shortage — typically Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Technology, Accounting, African languages and foundation phase teaching in an African language. Confirm the current list.
Can I apply for NSFAS too?
Yes. NSFAS and Funza Lushaka are separate applications with separate criteria and deadlines. Apply for both if you may qualify for both.
Admission requirements, bursary criteria, priority subjects and service obligations are set by the institution, the Department of Basic Education and NSFAS, and are revised annually. Confirm current requirements with each.