StudyTrust Bursaries 2027 – Apply Now

StudyTrust, the educational trust that has awarded more than 30 000 bursaries and scholarships over 50 plus years, has opened applications for the 2027 academic year. One single online application puts you in the running for every StudyTrust-administered bursary you qualify for, including programmes funded by Amazon, Standard Bank, Santam, Toyota, Investec and the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation. StudyTrust Bursaries Applications opened on 1 June 2026 and most close on 30 September 2026. Only South African citizens qualify.

About the Programme

StudyTrust is a registered educational trust and public benefit organisation that connects learners with potential to study opportunities. Over its history it has channelled more than R1 billion in bursary funding to South African students, and today it administers bursaries and scholarships for major companies, foundations and private donors. It is also a UNHCR implementing partner and a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor.

What makes StudyTrust different is its single-application model. Instead of applying to dozens of companies separately, you complete one application and StudyTrust considers you for every programme you qualify for. Funders include recruitment bursaries from Amazon, Standard Bank Group, Santam and Toyota SA Motors, scholarships from the Cisco Charitable Foundation Trust, Old Mutual Investment Group Imfundo Trust, Promaths, Investec and the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation, skills development bursaries from AWS, HP Inc, Sage and TFG, and a wide range of renewable energy community trust bursaries. StudyTrust students also receive mentoring and support throughout their studies.

What Is Covered

• Bursary funding for tertiary studies, with cover varying by programme and typically including tuition and study costs
• One application considered across 20 plus bursary and scholarship programmes
• Mentoring and student support to help you succeed academically and personally
• Recruitment bursaries that can lead to employment, noting that some carry a work-back obligation
• Options across fields including commerce, engineering, IT, science and more, depending on each funder’s criteria

Who Can Apply

• South African citizens only
• Grade 12 learners planning to study at a South African tertiary institution in 2027
• Current university and university of technology students who need funding
• Applicants who meet the academic and financial criteria of the specific programmes, which are listed on each bursary’s page on the StudyTrust website

RELATED: Amazon Bursary Programme 2027 – Apply Now

Required Documents

• Certified copy of your South African ID
• Latest academic results, either Grade 11 final and Grade 12 mid-year results or your university transcript
• Proof of household income for your family
• Proof of university application or registration, where available
• Any additional documents requested for specific programmes during the online application

How to Apply

1. Visit the StudyTrust bursaries page and read the criteria for the programmes that interest you.
2. Click through to the online bursary application portal.
3. Create your profile and complete every section of the application honestly and accurately.
4. Upload your ID, results and proof of income.
5. Submit before 30 September 2026. StudyTrust will consider you for all opportunities you qualify for.

Start here: Apply at StudyTrust.

Closing Date

StudyTrust bursary applications for the 2027 academic year opened on 1 June 2026 and in most cases close on 30 September 2026. No late applications will be accepted.

Why It Matters

Every year thousands of academically deserving South African learners get accepted to university but cannot register because of money. Bursary applications themselves become a barrier: each company has its own forms, deadlines and documents, and learners in under-resourced schools simply run out of time and data. StudyTrust flattens that barrier with one application that reaches more than twenty funders at once. Its bursaries are never for sale and the organisation works with no intermediaries, which protects applicants from the bursary scams that target desperate students. For a Grade 12 learner with good marks and no funding plan, this single application is one of the highest-value forms you can complete this year.

Frequently Asked Questions