Citrus Academy Bursary South Africa 2026
The Academy is responsible for addressing issues and challenges faced by the citrus industry, namely scarce and critical skills; quality of skills delivery; black economic empowerment; employment equity and low production skills levels.
In 2006, the Academy founded the Citrus Academy Bursary Fund and is now the biggest private bursary fund in primary agriculture, as well as one of the biggest in the primary sector.
The Citrus Academy is inviting students to apply for their bursary programme for the 2026 academic year.
Bursaries will be awarded for studies within the following agriculture-related fields:
- Agriculture
- Agricultural Economics
- Agricultural Management
- Entomology
- Horticulture
- Industrial Engineering
- Plant Pathology
- Plant Production
- Mechanical Engineering
- Microbiology
- Soil Science
The bursary will provide cover for the following expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Prescribed books
- Stationery
- Accommodation
- Meals and research costs (for postgraduate students), as well as other study-related expenses.
Bursary recipients will be required to sign a Bursary Agreement with Citrus Academy. They will also be required to adhere to certain academic standards and commit to the Citrus Academy Code of Conduct.
After graduation, bursary recipients will be required to work within the citrus industry, as part of the “work back service contract”. The period of work will be equal to (as a minimum), the period of bursary funding received (ie, 1 year of work for 1 year of funding).
Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):
- You must be a citizen of South Africa, Zimbabwe or Swaziland
- You must have completed Matric
- You must be studying full-time or part-time, towards a qualification in a field related to citrus production or research
- You must be entering your 2nd year or higher year of study in 2026
- You must be studying at a recognised and accredited tertiary institution in South Africa (Universities, Colleges or Universities of Technology)
- You must be interested in pursuing a career within the citrus industry
- You must meet all the criteria within the Citrus Academy Bursary Agreement (.pdf)
Candidates will be selected based on the following main criteria:
- Previously disadvantaged status, relevant field of study, academics, financial need, background relation to the citrus industry, gender (female students will receive preference) and disability (students living with disabilities are encouraged to apply).
How to apply:
Applications must be submitted online at: Citrus Academy Bursary Application 2026
Applicants must register an account before they can log in and apply.
Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation:
- ID document (certified copy)
- Passport or ID document, if a citizen of Zimbabwe or Swaziland
- Secondary education results (certified copy)
- Most recent tertiary academic record (certified copy)
- Motivational essay explaining the following: why you wish to study further, your background in the citrus industry, how you will give back to the citrus industry and citrus enterprise when you have completed your studies (max 500 words)
- Details of your proposed research project (postgraduate students)
Selection Process For The Citrus Academy Bursary:
- Applicants will receive a notification after their application has been successfully submitted.
- After the bursary has closed for application, candidates will be scored according to a weighted scoring system and ranked.
- Postgraduate applications will be scored in terms of importance and priority by citrus researchers and academics in various fields. Postgraduate students must provide details of their research project and supervisor in order to facilitate this process.
- After the scoring process is complete, top candidates will be shortlisted alongside current bursary recipients who will be continuing their studies.
- Shortlisted candidates will then be submitted for approval, and thereafter, funding will be secured.
- Successful candidates will be informed by mid-December 2025. If you do not receive any feedback, please regard your application as unsuccessful.
Closing date: 15 September 2025.
(Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted – please apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)
Contact The Bursary Provider:
For any queries related to this bursary programme, please contact the Citrus Academy directly:
Tel: 031 765 3410 / 031 765 3412 / 086 546 7808
Email: learnmore@citrusacademy.org.za
For technical support, contact candice@citrusacademy.org.za