Quick Answer: Funza Lushaka for PGCE Students
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is the route into teaching for people who already hold an appropriate bachelor degree. It is normally a one-year qualification, and Funza Lushaka can fund it where the teaching subjects you will offer fall within the priority areas.
Because the PGCE is short, the funding decision and the service obligation both arrive quickly. You could be funded, qualified and placed within a much shorter span than the undergraduate route. Requirements.co.za is an independent information website. It does not administer the Funza Lushaka bursary, admit students to programmes, or award funding.
Who This Requirement Applies To
This guide is for graduates in other fields who intend to become teachers, and for final-year students planning a PGCE after their degree.
If you have not yet completed a degree, the undergraduate route applies. See Funza Lushaka for BEd Students.
Eligibility Requirements
The key question for a PGCE applicant is whether your existing degree contains the subject content needed to teach a priority subject. Universities assess this, and it decides both admission and fundability.
Applicant type
- A completed appropriate bachelor degree, with sufficient content in the subjects you intend to teach.
- Admission to a PGCE at a participating public university.
- Teaching subjects within the current priority areas.
- South African citizenship.
- The phase you intend to teach, since subject requirements differ by phase.
Documents You May Need
Your undergraduate record does more work here than in the undergraduate route, because it evidences subject competence.
Required proof
- South African identity document.
- Your completed degree certificate and full academic transcript.
- Proof of application, admission or registration for the PGCE.
- Documents specified by the application system for that cycle.
Steps to Apply or Prepare
Check whether your degree contains enough content in a priority teaching subject, at the level and phase the university requires. Ask the university directly if this is unclear.
Apply for PGCE admission and, separately, for the bursary within its window.
If awarded, read the agreement before accepting, since the service obligation follows soon after a one-year qualification. The bursary carries a service obligation. See Funza Lushaka Service Obligation before accepting an award.
Costs, Processing Times and Validity
There is no charge to apply for the bursary. Coverage and priority areas are set per cycle. PGCE admission requirements, including the subject content expected from your degree, are set by each university.
Common Mistakes and Delays
Common mistake
- Assuming any degree qualifies for a PGCE, when subject content requirements apply.
- Choosing teaching subjects your degree does not adequately support.
- Overlooking that the service obligation begins soon after a one-year qualification.
- Applying for the bursary without a realistic prospect of PGCE admission.
Where to Confirm Official Requirements
Confirm the current criteria, priority areas and dates through the official Funza Lushaka channel and the Department of Basic Education, and confirm programme admission requirements with the university. The Official Requirements Sources South Africa page links to the responsible bodies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Funza Lushaka fund a PGCE?
Yes, where the teaching subjects fall within the priority areas and you are admitted to a PGCE at a participating public university. Confirm the current criteria officially.
What degree do I need for a PGCE?
An appropriate bachelor degree containing sufficient content in the subjects you intend to teach. Universities set and assess these requirements, so confirm with the institution.
How long is the service obligation for a PGCE?
Normally linked to the number of years funded, so a one-year qualification typically carries a shorter obligation than a full degree. Your bursary agreement states the position.
Can I choose any teaching subject?
Only subjects your degree supports and that fall within the priority areas. Both constraints apply together.
Where can I confirm PGCE funding requirements?
Confirm the bursary criteria officially and PGCE admission requirements with the university.