Funza Lushaka Bursary For 2024

Funza Lushaka Bursary For 2024

 

The department aims to increase the supply of newly qualified teachers in mathematics, science and technology in different phases by providing Funza Lushaka bursaries to prospective teachers over the medium term.

While some Funza Lushaka bursary recipients qualify for fee-free funding at universities, the department expects the demand for Funza Lushaka bursaries to remain unchanged as students prefer this bursary because they are guaranteed a work placement offer after qualifying.

 

The following must be read before making an application: 

• Should you have a criminal record, be charged with misconduct or be dismissed from work, kindly note that you are not eligible to apply for this bursary.
• Allocation of Funza Lushaka bursaries to Higher Education Institution employees, their spouse and their dependents/children is not permissible.
• Non-disclosure of the information required as stated in 2 above will be treated as fraud.
• Applicants should be 30 years and below to qualify for the Funza Lushaka Bursary.
• To qualify, you must complete the online application.
• No hard-copy applications will be accepted.
• If you already have a teaching qualification, you do not qualify for Funza Lushaka Bursary.

 

Programmes to be funded:

Two types of qualifications can be funded as shown below. The qualification must include subjects which will allow the student to specialise as a teacher in at least two priority subject areas.

Priority Subject Areas – are subjects that are identified by Provinces and National Departments of Education as subjects where teachers are required (see next section below).

1. Undergraduate studies
   ✓ 4-year Bachelor of Education degree (B.Ed.), specialising in one of the
   following the Foundation Phase (Grades R – 3), Intermediate Phase (Grades 4 – 6) and
   Senior and Further Education and Training Teaching (Grade 7-12). 
2. Graduate studies
   ✓ One-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) for graduates
   whose degrees reflect two priority subjects where one module/course was
   successfully completed or studied at third year level while the second priority
   the subject was successfully completed or studied at the second-year level.

 

N.B. Only the PGCE for the Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching (SPFET) (Grade 7-12) will be funded through the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme.

N.B. NO PGCE for Foundation and Intermediate Phases

 

Selection criteria include the following:

• The bursary is only awarded to South African citizens with a valid South African ID number;
• The applicant should demonstrate good academic ability;
• Applicants should be 30 years and below to qualify for the Funza Lushaka Bursary
• Allocation of Funza Lushaka bursaries to Higher Education Institution employees, their spouse and their dependents/children is not permissible.
• The Funza Lushaka bursary does not fund extended programmes.
• The applicant must be accepted into an approved B.Ed. degree or PGCE programme to specialise in two or more of the priority subject areas.
• The applicant should demonstrate good academic ability.
• The applicant must show commitment to a teaching career, which includes: interest in working with young people; enthusiasm for a professional career in teaching; and readiness to face and surmount difficult challenges with integrity.
• The applicant must be committed to teaching in any school to which a student may be placed by a Provincial Education Department (PED)

 

Students must meet the minimum academic criteria for the award of the bursary.

Minimum academic criteria:

• For 1st time entrants to university:
• An exemption, endorsement, or ‘admission to bachelor degree studies’ pass at matric/Grade 12 level.
• At least a level 4 pass at matric level in the two subjects which the applicant will specialise in teaching.
• For students who wish to specialise in the Foundation Phase, a Level 2 pass in Mathematics or a Level 4 pass in Mathematical Literacy at the Grade 12 level is required. In addition, at least a level 4 pass in the Home Language is required.
• For students who wish to specialise in the Intermediated Phase, a Level 4 pass in Mathematics at the Grade 12 level is required. In addition, at least a level 4 pass in the Home Language is required.

1. Students with Mathematics can specialise in two of the following: Language, Natural Science, Technology; Physical Science, Life Science and
2. Students with Language, Physical Science and Life Science pass level 4 and can specialise in Provincial Priority Language, Natural Science and Technology

• For students who wish to specialise in Senior FET a level 4 pass in one of the National and one of the Provincial Priority subjects or two from the Provincial Priority subjects.
• A level 4 pass in a Provincial Priority Language and a National Priority subject or both Provincial Language and content subjects
• Students who wish to specialize in the teaching of Technical subjects, including Computer Applications Technology (CAT), and who do not have these subjects at the matric level must have at least a level 4 pass in Mathematics or Technical Mathematics.
• If the institution’s admission requirements are higher than the bursary requirement and vice versa then the higher requirement will apply.

 

For new applicants already at university:

• The student must have passed all of the modules studied in the year prior to the bursary application at the Higher Education Institution. Which are Funza Lushaka Priority subjects
• At least a 55% pass average across all the modules studied in the applicant’s last year of study at a Higher Education Institution.
• The student must have at least a 66.5% pass average in modules studied in the applicant’s last year of study at university which relate directly to the priority subject area of teaching specialisation.
• These are the 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 recommended for Funza Lushaka but cannot be lower.

 

For new applicants enrolling for PGCE:

• NO Funza Lushaka Bursary will be awarded for PCGE – Foundation and Intermediate Phases.
• The student must have successfully completed a recognized qualification that has two teaching subjects that qualify him/her to be admitted for a PGCE.
• Funza Lushaka Bursary will be awarded for PGCE for ONLY Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching (SPFET) (Grade 7-12)
• To be considered for the PGCE in the Senior Phase and Further Education and Training teaching the student must have two priority subjects where one module/course was successfully completed or studied at the third-year level while the second priority subject was successfully completed or studied at the second-year level. Or both passed at the second or third-year level

 

Applicants must note that these are minimum criteria. Meeting these criteria does not mean automatic acceptance of the bursary. There are a limited number of bursaries available, and the best students will be selected for the bursary.

• The bursary is awarded for one academic year at a time. It is not automatically rewarded. A re-award will depend on the academic performance of the previous year’s results.
• There is no automatic promise of financial support for a fifth (5th) year of study i.e. beyond the(4th) year of study. On evidence of good academic performance, and pending the availability of funds, the bursary may be re-awarded.
• Recipients of bursaries will be required to teach one year for every year for which they have received the bursary.

 

What the bursary covers:

• Funza Lushaka bursaries cover most of the recipient’s essential expenses.
• Expenses covered include

1. Tuition fees
2. Accommodation
3. Meals
4. Books
5. Learning materials
6. Teaching practice laptop 
7. If possible a small allowance for monthly living expenses.

• The allocation to any individual student is capped at a specific value.
• Where the university charges more than the capped value the bursars will have to top up from their own funds.
• Universities have different cost structures, so the total value of a bursary differs from institution to institution.

 

Repayment:

• Recipients of these bursaries will be required to teach at a public school for the same number of years that they received the bursary. No repayment of the bursary is therefore required.
• Instances where the bursary conditions are not adhered to may require repayment of the bursary. 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.
• If you are awarded or re-awarded the bursary, you will be expected to have an email address and a contactable cell phone number which will not be changed for the duration of the studies for communication purposes with the funder and DBE officials.

 

 

How to apply:

Click Here To Apply

 

OR

1. Open the e-Gov portal at www.eservices.gov.za
2. Register by providing personal information
3. Login to the system using user name and password created when registering
4. On the e-Services Menu select Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme
5. Enter the OTP received on the preferred channel
6. Accept the Terms and Conditions
7. On the dashboard menu click on the 2024 application button
8. Follow the steps to complete the required field with your information
9. Accept the declaration to confirm the information captured

 

 

 

Applications for the Funza Lushaka bursary for 2024 will open on 08/10/2023
New applications close on 02/02/2024
Re-applications for Existing/Returning Bursars close on 30/11/2023