Eskom Bursary Programme 2027: Engineering, IT & More, Closes 22 September

Eskom has opened applications for its Bursary Programme for the 2027 academic year. Current matriculants and first or second year university students studying engineering, IT, accounting, law, nursing, HR and a long list of other fields at a public university can apply. The bursary is for South African citizens who are not receiving other funding. Applications close on 22 September 2026, so there are only about two weeks left to submit.

About the Eskom Bursary Programme

Eskom is South Africa’s state-owned electricity utility, founded in 1923 and still responsible for most of the country’s generation, transmission and distribution. It runs coal-fired stations across Mpumalanga and Limpopo, the Koeberg nuclear plant in the Western Cape, and the high-voltage grid that connects them to every municipality and household. It is one of the largest employers of engineers and technicians in Africa.

The Eskom Bursary Programme is the utility’s pipeline for future engineers, scientists and professional staff. It has funded thousands of students over decades, and unlike many corporate bursaries it does not stop at engineering. The 2027 intake splits into three streams: an Engineering Degree bursary (BEng or BSc), an Engineering Diploma bursary at universities of technology, and a Non-Technical bursary covering fields from accounting science and law to nursing, psychology, data science and supply chain management. The programme is being run through Eskom’s careers portal, with separate application links for matriculants and for students already at university. Final selection depends on Matric results.

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Fields of Study Covered

• Engineering degrees: Chemical, Civil, Data, Electrical (heavy and light current), Electrical and Computer, Electronic, Electro Mechanical, Industrial, Measurement Control and Instrumentation, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Metallurgy, Renewable Energy, Software
• Engineering diplomas and BEng Tech: Chemical, Civil, Data, Electrical, Industrial, Mechanical, Measurement Control and Instrumentation
• Non-technical degrees: Accounting Science, Actuarial Science, Applied Mathematics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Data Science, Economics and Econometrics, Environmental and Water Science, Financial Management, GIS, Geomatics, Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, Industrial Relations, Information Systems, IT, Land Surveying, Law, Logistics, Nursing, Mathematics, Physics, Project Management, Psychology, Quantity Surveying, Radiology, Safety Management, Social Science, Statistics, Supply Chain Management
• The exact package (tuition, accommodation, books, allowances) is confirmed during the application process

Who Can Apply

• South African citizens only
• Currently in Matric, or completed Matric in 2025
• Engineering degree, current matriculants: minimum level 4 English, level 5 Pure Mathematics, level 5 Physical Science, entering first year of BEng or BSc in 2027 at a public university, conditional acceptance if available
• Engineering diploma, current matriculants: minimum level 4 English, level 4 Pure Mathematics, level 4 Physical Science, entering first year diploma or BEng Tech at a university of technology in 2027
• Non-technical, current matriculants: entering first year of a listed degree at a public university in 2027 and meeting the programme’s entry requirements, with conditional acceptance
• Current university students: first or second year, in a listed field, minimum 60 percent aggregate (50 percent for diploma students at universities of technology), at a recognised public university
• Must not be receiving any other bursary funding
• Students with disabilities are encouraged to apply

Required Documents

• Copy of your South African ID document
• Grade 11 final results and latest Matric results (if currently in Matric)
• Matric certificate (if you completed Matric in 2025)
• Full academic record (if currently at university)
• Proof of conditional acceptance at a university or university of technology

Submission of these documents is compulsory. Missing items can disqualify the application.

How to Apply

1. Decide which stream fits you: Engineering Degree, Engineering Diploma or Non-Technical.
2. Scan your ID, results, academic record and proof of acceptance as clear PDF or image files.
3. Open the Eskom careers portal using the link below and select the correct bursary listing for your stream and status (current matriculant or current student).
4. Create a profile, complete the online form and upload every required document.
5. Submit before 22 September 2026. Shortlisted candidates are contacted within 28 days of the closing date.

Apply at Eskom

Support: 010 140 309 or candidate.support@ci.hr

Closing Date

The closing date for the Eskom Bursary Programme 2027 is 22 September 2026. No late applications will be accepted.

ALSO SEE: Moshal Scholarship Programme 2027: Full Tuition, Living Allowance & Laptop

Why It Matters

NSFAS covers many students, but it excludes the “missing middle” whose household income is above the threshold yet nowhere near enough to pay R60,000 to R120,000 a year for engineering studies. Corporate bursaries like Eskom’s fill that gap, and Eskom’s list of fields is wider than almost any other SA bursary: a Grade 12 learner planning to study nursing, law or psychology qualifies alongside the engineering applicants.

An Eskom bursary also carries a career signal. Bursars typically get vacation work exposure and a path into Eskom’s graduate and engineer-in-training programmes after graduation, at a time when the energy sector is expanding through transmission build-out and renewable projects. With youth unemployment above 45 percent, entering the job market with a degree, no debt and an SOE relationship already in place is a serious head start.

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