The Compensation Fund, established under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993 (COIDA), compensates workers injured or made ill at work and the dependants of workers killed at work. Alongside compensation, it has provided educational assistance for dependants.
This is a specific and often overlooked form of support. If a parent or guardian died or was permanently disabled in a work-related incident, educational assistance may be available through the Fund, and many affected families do not know it exists.
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
Eligibility flows from the underlying compensation claim rather than from a general bursary application.
- Be a dependant of a worker who died, or was permanently disabled, as a result of a work-related injury or occupational disease
- The underlying COIDA claim must have been registered and accepted by the Compensation Fund — this is the essential precondition
- Be a South African citizen or hold the appropriate documentation
- Be registered or accepted at a recognised institution
- Meet the academic requirements the Fund sets
- Apply through the Compensation Fund’s own process, within its timeframes
Income and Affordability Requirements
The claim comes first. Educational assistance follows an accepted COIDA claim. If the injury or death was never reported, or the claim was never registered, that is the first thing to address — the assistance cannot be accessed without it.
Employers are legally obliged to report occupational injuries and diseases to the Compensation Fund. Where an employer failed to do so, the injured worker or their dependants can still pursue the claim. Contact the Department of Employment and Labour, which administers the Fund, or seek help from a trade union or a legal advice office.
Occupational disease claims are frequently missed. Diseases that develop over time — occupational lung disease, hearing loss, certain cancers — are compensable, but claims are often never lodged because the connection to work is not recognised at the time. Families of former miners, industrial and construction workers in particular should ask about this.
Financial need may form part of the assessment. Confirm the current criteria and process with the Compensation Fund directly.
Credit and Financial Requirements
What the assistance covers and the amounts payable are set by the Fund and are revised. Confirm the current position directly rather than relying on a published figure.
There is no work-back obligation of the corporate bursary kind. This is a statutory benefit arising from the compensation system rather than a talent pipeline programme.
Related benefits worth asking about. Dependants of a worker who died in a work-related incident may be entitled to a pension or lump sum under COIDA, quite apart from any educational assistance. Where a worker was permanently disabled, ongoing compensation and medical costs may be payable. Families frequently claim one benefit and never learn of the others.
Beware of claim-handling fraud. People approach families of injured or deceased workers offering to “process” claims for a fee or a share of the payout. Lodging a claim with the Compensation Fund is free, and unions and legal advice offices assist at no cost. Never pay a percentage of a compensation payout to a facilitator.
Bursary applications are always free. No legitimate funder charges an application fee, a “processing” fee or a fee to release funding. Anyone asking for payment to secure funding is defrauding you. Apply only through the funder’s own official channel, and never share your login details with anyone.
Documents and Verification Required
The documentation links the student to the accepted claim.
- Certified copy of the student’s South African ID or birth certificate
- Certified copy of the deceased or injured worker’s ID
- The death certificate, where the worker died
- Proof of the relationship between the student and the worker
- The Compensation Fund claim number and proof that the claim was accepted
- Proof of acceptance or registration at the institution
- Latest academic results
- Proof of household income, where the assistance is means-tested
- Proof of the student’s banking details, where required
How to Apply and Improve Approval Readiness
Contact the Compensation Fund or the Department of Employment and Labour directly to establish what is currently available and how to apply. Provincial labour centres can assist with both claims and enquiries.
If the underlying claim was never lodged, address that first. Trade unions, legal advice offices and the labour centres assist free of charge, and a claim lodged late is better than one never lodged.
- Establish whether the underlying COIDA claim was registered and accepted
- If it was not, contact a labour centre, union or legal advice office — help is free
- Ask about all COIDA benefits, not only educational assistance
- Keep the claim number and all correspondence
- Never pay a facilitator a share of a compensation payout
- Confirm current criteria and coverage with the Compensation Fund directly
- Apply for NSFAS and other bursaries in parallel
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for this assistance?
Dependants of workers who died or were permanently disabled as a result of a work-related injury or occupational disease, where the COIDA claim was registered and accepted.
What if the claim was never lodged?
It can still be pursued. Contact a Department of Employment and Labour labour centre, a trade union or a legal advice office — assistance is free of charge.
Are occupational diseases covered?
Yes. Diseases arising from work, including those that develop over years, are compensable under COIDA. Many such claims are never lodged because the connection to work is not recognised.
Should I pay someone to handle a claim?
No. Lodging a claim is free, and unions and advice offices assist at no cost. Never pay a share of a payout to a facilitator.
Eligibility, coverage and application processes are set by the Compensation Fund under COIDA and are revised. Confirm current requirements directly with the Compensation Fund or a Department of Employment and Labour labour centre.