Funza Lushaka is the Department of Basic Education’s service-linked bursary: it funds a four-year B.Ed. at a public university, and you repay it by teaching one year in a public school for every year funded. For the 2027 intake, applications opened on 1 October 2026 and close on 31 January 2027 for new applicants.
The bursary requirements below come from the Department of Basic Education’s 2027 application notes. They change each year, so re-check them for your intake. The scheme is listed as the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme on the e-Services menu.
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
For the 2027 intake, you must meet all of the following.
- South African citizenship with a valid South African ID card.
- First-time applicants must be below 30. You must turn 30 on or before 31 March of the year of study, so for 2027 a student who is 31 before 31 March 2027 does not qualify.
- Acceptance into an approved B.Ed. programme at a public university. For the Intermediate, Senior and FET Phases you must specialise in two or more priority subject areas.
- First-time entrants need a Bachelor’s-degree-level matric pass with at least Level 4 (50% or more) in the two subjects you will specialise in teaching. Where the university’s own admission requirements are higher, the higher requirement applies.
- No criminal record on your SAPS police clearance, the National Register for Sexual Offenders or the National Register for Child Offenders. An offence less than ten years old makes you ineligible; an older one may be expunged through the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
- Good academic ability and the traits of a teacher: interest in working with young people, enthusiasm for teaching and readiness to face challenges with integrity.
- If you already hold a teaching qualification, you do not qualify.
Matric requirements depend on the phase you want to teach.
- Foundation Phase: Mathematics Level 3 (40% or more) or Mathematical Literacy Level 4 (50% or more), plus Home Language Level 4 (50% or more).
- Intermediate Phase: Mathematics Level 3 (40% or more) or Mathematical Literacy Level 5 (60% or more), plus Home Language Level 4 (50% or more).
- Senior and FET Phase: Level 4 (50%) in two priority subject areas. Technical subjects and CAT applicants without these at matric need at least Level 4 in Mathematics or Technical Mathematics.
What is and is not funded for 2027. The bursary funds the four-year B.Ed. (Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase and Senior/FET) and, at the University of Pretoria only, the B.Ed. ECCE project. A PGCE is not funded in 2027, and neither are other extended programmes (HCE, Honours, Master’s or doctoral study).
Several subjects are not funded: oversupplied ones such as History, Geography, Accounting, Economics, Business Studies, EMS, Life Orientation and Physical Education; low-uptake ones such as Religious Studies, Music, Dance and Art; and combinations of two languages. Language funding goes predominantly to South African Indigenous Languages, and to Afrikaans in the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape, with a small portion for English teachers. Confirm your subject combination with your university’s Funza Lushaka coordinator, because the full priority subject list is not set out here.
Returning bursars (second to fourth year) must have passed all prior-year modules in priority subject areas, averaged at least 55% across all modules and at least 66.5% in modules related to their specialisation, and be progressing to the next year of study. The bursary is awarded one academic year at a time and is not automatically renewed, there is no automatic funding for a fifth year, and a student who drops the bursary for a year will not be considered for future funding.
Income and Affordability Requirements
The 2027 application notes list no household income threshold and no means test among the minimum criteria. The bursary is awarded first on academic competency and on your study choices, so it works differently from NSFAS. Do not assume that a low household income will secure an award, or that a higher one will rule you out.
Meeting the criteria does not guarantee a bursary. A limited number is available and the selection committee may decline to award one regardless of your results.
The bursary covers tuition, accommodation including meals, books and learning materials, teaching practice and, if possible, a small monthly living allowance. It is capped: if your fees exceed the cap you top up the difference, and if they are lower the programme pays the actual cost. The current cap is not stated in the notes, so ask your university’s coordinator for the figure.
Credit and Financial Requirements
The 2027 application notes set no credit criterion, and the selection criteria are academic. The checks that do apply are the criminal and offender register checks listed above.
Documents and Verification Required
You apply online and submit your supporting documentation to your university’s Funza Lushaka office. You can only apply once you have a valid student number and have been accepted, or provisionally accepted, by the university.
The notes do not itemise the supporting documents, so we do not list them here. Check with your university’s Funza Lushaka coordinator what to submit, and expect to check your records with SAPS (police clearance report), the Department of Justice (sex offender register) and the Department of Social Development (child offender register).
How to Apply and Improve Approval Readiness
Applications for the 2027 bursary opened on 1 October 2026. New applications close on 31 January 2027. Re-applications by existing bursars close on 30 November 2026. Applications are online only, and no hard-copy applications are accepted. No online application means you are not eligible.
- Register on the e-Government portal and log in.
- Select the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme on the e-Services menu and enter the OTP.
- Accept the terms, click the 2027 application button and complete the fields.
- Accept the declaration, then submit your supporting documents to your university’s Funza Lushaka office.
District-based recruited first-time applicants must first submit a digitised Teacher Screening form and then still apply online before the closing date. If you change institutions after submitting, you will not be considered, though you can update your admission status or institution, and your personal details, while the system is open. Read the 2027 application notes and the Funza Lushaka portal before you start.
To improve your chances, choose a funded phase and subject combination and apply early in the window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to teach after receiving Funza Lushaka?
Yes. You must teach one year in a public school for every year funded, and apply for posts within six months of graduating, keeping evidence of your applications. The conditions are in the contract you sign, which is legally binding.
Which subjects are prioritised?
The notes name what is not funded rather than a full priority list: History, Geography, Accounting, Economics, Business Studies, EMS, Life Orientation, Physical Education, Religious Studies, Music, Dance, Art and combinations of two languages. Language funding goes mainly to Indigenous Languages and, in four provinces, Afrikaans. The full priority list is not set out here, so confirm your combination with your university’s coordinator.
Can I choose where I teach?
No. There is no preferential placement by a provincial education department, and the bursary does not guarantee a post or a province. You apply for posts yourself, and all graduates get an equal opportunity for employment.
Is Funza Lushaka means-tested?
The 2027 application notes list no household income test. The bursary is awarded first on academic competency, and only a limited number are available.
Does the bursary cover a PGCE?
Not in 2027. It funds the four-year B.Ed. and, at the University of Pretoria only, the B.Ed. ECCE project. You also do not qualify if you already have a teaching qualification.
Confirm the current criteria with the Department of Basic Education through the Funza Lushaka portal and your university’s Funza Lushaka coordinator before you apply. For escalation, call 012 357 3000 or email [email protected]; the notes say not to contact NSFAS or the department directly first. See NSFAS requirements, loan requirements and browse all finance and funding requirements.