The SANZAF SEED Bursary 2027 helps South African students in financial need pay for tertiary study, and it is open for all fields of study. It is run region by region, so your closing date depends on where you live: Gauteng applications close on 15 December 2026, the Western Cape on 31 December 2026 and Kimberley on 10 January 2027. East London and Gqeberha closed on 31 October 2026. You apply online through the portal for your region, upload four compulsory documents and explain your need in a motivational letter.
About the SANZAF SEED Bursary
SANZAF is the South African National Zakah Fund, a non-profit organisation that collects and distributes zakah to people in need. Its Education, Empowerment and Development Programme, known as SEED, is the arm that pays for tertiary studies. The bursary is not limited to one field, which sets it apart from most corporate bursaries that fund only engineering, finance or IT.
Applicants must be in financial need and unable to pay for their tertiary studies, and they must fall into at least one of three categories described by the fund. The first is the poor: people who are unemployed because work is unavailable or because they lack the skills to get it. The second is the needy: people who are employed but whose income is not enough for basic living expenses. The third is individuals in debt, where the debt came from circumstances beyond their control and cannot be settled from existing assets.
Payments go directly to the institution’s account. Successful candidates must pay their own registration fees, so budget for that before the academic year starts. The listing does not state a bursary amount, so the value is confirmed during the application process.
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What the Bursary Covers
- Tertiary studies in all fields of study
- Payment made directly to your institution’s account
- Bursary amount: confirmed during the application process
- Registration fees are not covered and must be paid by the successful candidate
Who Can Apply
- You must be a South African student in financial need who cannot pay for tertiary study.
- You must fall into at least one category: the poor, the needy, or individuals in debt through circumstances beyond their control.
- You must meet the fund’s minimum criteria. Applicants who refuse reasonable available employment are generally excluded.
- You must apply through the portal for the region where you live.
- If you do not meet every requirement, your application will not be considered.
Required Documents
- Certified copy of your ID document
- Testimonials from your school or Imaam
- Proof of income for your parents, guardians, spouse or yourself: latest payslips if employed, an affidavit if unemployed, or proof of a pension or social grant where applicable
- Motivational letter
- All four items are compulsory. Missing items may lead to disqualification.
How to Apply
- Find the region you live in and check its closing date: Gauteng 15 December 2026, Western Cape 31 December 2026, Kimberley 10 January 2027.
- Prepare your four compulsory documents and write your motivational letter.
- Open the portal for your region from the listing page. The Western Cape, Kimberley, East London and Gqeberha applications use seed.sanzaf.org.za, and Gauteng has a separate SANZAF portal.
- Submit your application online and upload your documents.
- When asked how you heard about the bursary, enter www.zabursaries.co.za.
- The listing page shows Durban, Ladysmith and Pietermaritzburg as closed.
Apply at SANZAF (regional portal links on the listing page)
Closing Date
The closing date for the SANZAF SEED Bursary 2027 is 15 December 2026 for Gauteng, 31 December 2026 for the Western Cape and 10 January 2027 for Kimberley. No late applications will be accepted.
Why It Matters
Many bursaries ask for a 70% average and a long list of subjects, which shuts out students whose results were hurt by difficult circumstances. The SEED bursary is built around need first, and it funds any field, so a student who wants to study teaching, social work or a trade-related diploma is not forced to switch to engineering just to find money.
The regional system also helps. A smaller pool of applicants per region can improve your odds compared with a single national intake, but it means you must pay close attention to your own region’s date. Check the date for where you live before you do anything else, because the dates differ by months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this bursary only for Muslim students?
The listing does not state a religious requirement. It does ask for testimonials from your school or Imaam, so confirm with SANZAF whether your situation fits before you apply.
Which closing date applies to me?
Which closing date applies to me?
Does the bursary pay my registration fees?
No. Successful candidates must pay their own registration fees. The bursary is paid directly to the institution.
Which fields of study are covered?
All fields of study at tertiary level are covered, according to the listing.
