Information about the BursaryThe following must be read before making an
application fora Funza Lushaka bursary for 2020
- 1.Should you have a criminal record, charged of misconduct or dismissed from work, kindly note that you are not eligible to apply for this bursary.
employees, their spouse and their dependents/children is not permissible.
treated as fraud.
qualification must include subjects which will allow the student to
specialise as a teacher in at least two priority areas (see next section
below).
Undergraduate studies
- 4-year Bachelor of Educationdegree (B Ed), specialising in Foundation Phase (Grade R –3), Intermediate Phase (Grade 4 –6), Senior Phase (Grade 7 –9) and FET Phase (Grade 10-12).
Graduate studies
- One-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)for graduates whose degreesreflect two priority subjectswhere one module/coursewas successfully completedorstudiedatthird year level while the second priority subject was successfully completed or studied atsecond year level.
N.B. Only the PGCE (Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching)(Grade 7-12) will be funded through the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme.
Admission criteria
8.Selection criteria include the following:
8.1.The bursary is only awarded to South African citizens with a valid South African ID number;
8.2.The applicant should demonstrate good academic ability;
8.3.Applicants should be 30 years and below to qualify for the Funza Lushaka Bursary
8.4.Allocation of Funza Lushaka bursaries to Higher Education Institution employees, their spouse and their dependents/children is not permissible.
8.5.The Funza Lushaka bursary does not fund extended programmes.
8.6.The applicant must be accepted into an approved BEd degree or PGCE programme to specialise in two or more of the priority areas.
8.7.The applicant should demonstrate good academic ability
8.8.The applicant must show commitment to a teaching career, which includes: interest in working with young people; enthusiasm for a professional career in teaching; readiness to face and surmount difficult challenges and personal integrity.
8.9.The applicant must be committed to teach in any school to which a student may be placed by a Provincial Education Department (PED).
Students must meet the minimum academic criteria for award of the bursary. In 2024, the minimum academic criteria are:
9.1.For 1st time entrants to university:
9.1.1.An exemption, endorsement, or ‘admission to bachelor degree studies’
pass at matric/Grade 12 level.
9.1.2.At least a level 4 pass at matric level in the subject
whichtheapplicant will specialize to teach.
9.1.3.For students who wish to specialize in the Foundation Phase, a pass in
Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at Grade 12 level is required. In addition,
at least alevel 4 pass in the Home Language is required. If a student completed
matric prior to 2008 when Mathematics was not compulsory, a student may still be
considered based on an overall good performance (Average of at least 50%).
9.1.4.Students who wish to specialize in the teaching of Technology subjects,
including CAT, and who do not have these subjects at matric level, must have at
least a level 4pass in Mathematics.
9.1.5.If the institution’s admission requirements are higher than the bursary
requirement and vice versa then thehigher requirement will apply.
9.2.For new applicants already at university. The student must have:
9.2.1 The student must have passed all of the modules studied in 2019or the
last year of study at the Higher Education Institution.
9.2.2 At least a 55% average across all the modules studied in 2019or in the
applicant’s last year of study at a Higher Education Institution.
9.2.3 The student must have at least 55% average in modules studied in 2019or
in the applicant’s last year of study at university which relate directly to the
priority area teaching specialization.
9.2.4 These are minimum criteria.
The Funza Lushaka bursary is a prestigious bursary that must be awarded
firstly on the basis of academic ability. The criteria applied at particular
institutions may be higher than those suggested here, but cannot belower.
9.3 For new applicants enrolling for PGCE
9.3.1 The student must have successfully completed a recognized qualification
that qualifies him/her to be admitted for a PGCE
9.3.2 To be considered for a PGCE in Foundation Phase Teaching a student must
have majored in Psychology and an African Language.
9.3.3 To be considered for PGCE in Intermediate Phase, Senior Phase and
Further Education and Training Teaching the student must have majored in the
subject he/she wishes to specialize in from the B. degree.
9.3.4 The student must have at least TWOidentified priority subjects at second
year level;
9.3.5 The student must have sufficient modules in the identified priority
subjects to qualify to teach it as a subject at school.
Applicants must note that these are minimum criteria. Meeting these criteria
does not mean automatic acceptance for the bursary. There are a limited number
of bursaries available, and the best students will be selected for the bursary.
10. The bursary is awarded for one academic year at a time. It is not automatically re-awarded. A re-award will depend on academic progress. There is no automatic promise of financial support fora fifth (5th) year of study i.e.beyond the4thyearof study. On evidence of good academic performance, and pending the availability of funds, the bursary may be re-awarded
11. The bursary is awarded for one academic year at a time. It is not
automatically re-awarded. Re-award will depend on academic success. There is no
automatic promise of support for 4 years plus 1 more year. On evidence of
academic success, and pending the availability of funds, the bursary may be
renewed each year until the recipient of the bursary has qualified as a teacher.
Recipients of bursaries will be required to teach one year for every year for
which they receive a bursary.
12. What the bursary covers: Funza Lushaka bursaries cover mostof
therecipient’s essential expenses. Expenses covered include tuition,
accommodationincluding meals, books and learning materials, and ifpossible a
small allowance for monthly living expenses. The allocation to any inlidual
student iscapped at a specific value. Where the universitycharges more than the
capped value the bursars will have to top up from own funds. Universities have
different cost structures, so the total value of a bursary differs from
institution to institution.
Repayment
13.Recipients of these bursaries will be required to teach at a public school
for the same number of years that they received the bursary.
14.The amount that is repayable is the full amount of the bursary received
under the programme, less one year’s funding for every year spent teaching at a
public school. Interest will be charged at the rate determined by NSFAS.
15.If you are awarded or re-awarded the bursary you will be expected to have
an e-mail address and a contactable cell phone numberfor SMS purposes.
These conditions are all contained in the bursary contract which all
applicants must sign. When applicants sign the bursary contract, they are
legally agreeing to the conditions described in the contract. The applicants
should keep a copy of the signed contract for themselves.
Process for applying for the bursary
19. Applications must only be made once students have been allocated a valid
student number and have been accepted/provisionally accepted at their university
of choice.
20 All applications must be made online at www.funzalushaka.doe.gov.za.Take
note of the closing date. No applications will be entertained after the closing
date. Students must apply online and submit supporting documentation to the
university.
21 Please ensure that all information that you capture is accurate, and that priority subject areas that you capture are the ones you will specialise in. The academic year of study refers to the level you are studying e.g. B Ed 1 = 1st year, B Ed 3 = 3rd year.
22 Please note that you have access to your on-line bursary application to “Update personal details” or make changes to your application before applications close.
23 Students who change institutions after submitting their bursary application forms will not be considered for selection.
24 Having applied for the bursary is not a guarantee that a student will
receive it.
Communications from students about the bursary
All enquiries about the bursary must be directed to the Funza Lushaka
academic and administrative co-ordinators at your university. They will be best
placed to respond to any issues. Students should not communicate directly with
NSFAS (the financial managers of the scheme) or with the Department of Basic
Education (DBE) or the Department of Higher Education and Training. Students may
not come in person to the DBE, but should phone and enquire at 012357 3000
How to Apply
Apply Online for the Funza Lushaka Teaching Bursary / Scholarship Programme
All enquiries about the bursary must be directed to the Funza Lushaka academic and administrative co-ordinators at your university. They will be best placed to respond to any issues. Students should not communicate directly with NSFAS (the financial managers of the scheme) or with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) or the Department of Higher Education and Training. Students may not come in person to the DBE, but should phone and enquire at 012357 3000or email us at [email protected]