South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) External Bursary

Are you a South African student looking for financial assistance to continue your tertiary education? The South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) offers an External Bursary Programme aimed at supporting education, youth development and the development of skills needed in South Africa.

The SANAS Bursary can assist qualifying students with tuition fees for eligible tertiary qualifications.

Important 2027 update: At the time of verification, SANAS had not yet published a confirmed 2027 bursary application notice or closing date on its official website. The information below is based on the latest published SANAS bursary cycle and should be checked against the official 2027 advertisement when it is released. 

SANAS Bursary 2027 – Quick Details

The 2026 programme information reported funding of up to R50,000 for a National Diploma or Degree and up to R70,000 for an Honours Degree or Postgraduate Diploma. These amounts should not be treated as confirmed 2027 amounts until SANAS publishes its new bursary advertisement. 

What Does the SANAS Bursary Cover?

According to the latest published programme information, the SANAS bursary is intended for tuition fees.

Students should therefore not assume that the bursary covers:

• Accommodation
• Food
• Transport
• Textbooks
• Data
• Personal expenses
• General living costs

The final 2027 advertisement should always be treated as the authority on what SANAS will fund.

Who Can Apply for the SANAS Bursary?

The latest published SANAS External Bursary information indicates that the programme is aimed at South African students/youth who are committed to furthering their education, with the previous programme including requirements around employment status, study level, institution and supporting documentation. 

For the 2027 application, applicants should be prepared to meet requirements relating to:

• South African citizenship
• Appropriate tertiary studies
• Admission or registration at an eligible institution
• The required academic requirements
• Required supporting documents
• Any financial or employment-status requirements specified by SANAS

Important: Do not assume that meeting the previous year’s requirements automatically means you qualify for 2027. SANAS may change its requirements.

What Qualifications Does SANAS Fund?

The latest published programme included:

National Diploma

Students pursuing an eligible National Diploma may qualify for tuition assistance.

Degree

Students studying towards an eligible degree may qualify.

Honours Degree

Honours students were included in the latest published programme.

Postgraduate Diploma

Postgraduate Diploma students were also included.

The 2027 advertisement should be checked for the final list of eligible qualifications and fields of study.

SANAS Bursary Requirements

Based on the latest available application information, applicants should prepare documents such as:

• Certified copy of South African ID
• Certified copy of Matric certificate
• Proof of household income or relevant financial information
• Course outline
• Proof of admission or registration at a tertiary institution
• Academic results where requested
• Completed bursary application form
• Any additional documents requested by SANAS

The previous application information specifically required documents including a certified ID, certified Matric certificate, household-income information, course outline and proof of admission or registration.

Do not submit an incomplete application. The previous SANAS bursary information stated that incomplete applications would not be considered.

How to Apply for the SANAS Bursary

The 2027 application process has not yet been officially confirmed.

Students should follow the application instructions contained in the official SANAS 2027 bursary advertisement once released.

The previous application cycle instructed applicants to obtain and complete the SANAS bursary application form and submit it with the required supporting documents. Applications were directed to:

Email: careers@sanas.co.za Zabursaries

However, verify the email address and application instructions against the official 2027 SANAS notice before submitting your application.

SANAS Bursary Closing Date 2027

Closing date: TBC

SANAS has not yet published a confirmed 2027 closing date that we could verify.

For comparison, the previous 2026 SANAS External Bursary Programme closed on Friday, 30 January 2026 at 16:30.

Do not use 30 January 2027 as a confirmed closing date unless SANAS officially announces it.

NextStepZA will update this listing once SANAS releases the official 2027 application dates.

Documents to Prepare Before Applications Open

Students can get ahead by preparing:

☐ South African ID
☐ Matric certificate
☐ Latest academic results
☐ Academic record, where applicable
☐ Proof of registration or admission
☐ Course outline
☐ Proof of household income
☐ Certified documents where required
☐ Completed application form once released
☐ Working email address
☐ Valid contact number

Keeping these documents ready can make the application process easier when applications open.

Does the SANAS Bursary Pay for Accommodation?

The latest published programme described the bursary as tuition-only funding. 

Students should therefore make separate arrangements for accommodation, meals, transport, textbooks and other living expenses unless the 2027 SANAS advertisement specifically states otherwise.

Does SANAS Guarantee Employment After the Bursary?

No employment guarantee should be assumed.

SANAS has described its external bursary programme as supporting youth development and helping develop qualified candidates for future opportunities, but receiving a bursary should not be interpreted as an automatic job offer from SANAS. sanas.co.za

Is the SANAS Bursary Legitimate?

Yes. SANAS is South Africa’s national accreditation body, responsible for accreditation relating to conformity assessment and related activities. Its official website provides information about its organisation and opportunities. sanas.co.za

Students should nevertheless be careful about bursary scams.

Watch out for fake SANAS bursary offers

Never pay someone who claims they can guarantee you a SANAS bursary.

Be careful of:

• WhatsApp messages asking for payment
• Fake application websites
• People selling application forms
• Requests for banking PINs or passwords
• Fake social-media accounts
• Promises of guaranteed approval
• Unverified application links

Always verify the information through the official SANAS channels.

SANAS Bursary 2027 Application Checklist

Before submitting your application, check:

Personal information

☐ Full name matches your ID
☐ ID number is correct
☐ Telephone number is correct
☐ Email address is active

Academic information

☐ Matric certificate
☐ Latest academic results
☐ Proof of registration/admission
☐ Course outline
☐ Academic record, if requested

Financial information

☐ Required household-income documents
☐ Supporting financial documents

Final application check

☐ Application form completed
☐ All required sections completed
☐ Supporting documents attached
☐ Documents are clear
☐ Required documents certified
☐ Eligibility checked
☐ Official closing date confirmed
☐ Proof of submission saved

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the SANAS Bursary 2027 open?

Not officially confirmed yet. At the time of verification, SANAS had not published a confirmed 2027 bursary announcement on its official website.

How much does the SANAS Bursary pay?

The latest published programme provided up to R50,000 for National Diploma/Degree studies and up to R70,000 for Honours/Postgraduate Diploma studies. These amounts must be reconfirmed for 2027.

Does SANAS pay for accommodation?

The latest published programme was tuition-only, so accommodation should not be assumed to be covered.

What was the previous closing date?

The 2026 SANAS bursary closed on 30 January 2026 at 16:30.

What is the 2027 closing date?

TBC — not officially announced yet.

What qualifications can be funded?

The latest published programme included National Diplomas, Degrees, Honours Degrees and Postgraduate Diplomas.

Where can I get the official information?

Use the official SANAS website and check its Bursaries, Vacancies & Internships information before applying. sanas.co.za

NextStepZA Tip

Don’t wait for the bursary to open before getting ready.

Prepare your ID, Matric certificate, academic results, proof of registration/admission, course outline and financial documents now. Then, when SANAS officially releases the 2027 External Bursary Programme, you can check the new requirements and submit a complete application before the deadline.

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