Scholarships and Bursaries Available for South African High School Students

Scholarships and Bursaries Available for South African High School Students

High school, just like primary school, is the basis and foundation of one’s future. Once a person gets it wrong in high school, chances of them making it in life get limited. However, it’s not everyone who gets the opportunity to have their most desired learning experience in high school, and this could be due to various reasons such as geo-political factors and, most importantly, economic factors.

This article serves to inform and enlighten high school students who are searching for scholarships or bursaries. Some of these scholarships and bursaries are academic based, while some are talented (sports) based. These scholarships and bursaries fully fund the student whilst some fund a fraction of your tuition.

AISCT High School Scholarship: is mainly focused on students who are beginning their second high school year, which is grade 9, and it pays for studies at the American International School of Cape Town.

Spirit Education Foundation Trust High School Scholarship: for students entering Grade 8 in 2026, for studies at SEF’s partner high schools, in Cape Town.

Also Apply: Rand Water Offering Learnership Opportunity to 25 Youths-Apply Now

African Scholars Fund High School Bursary; this scholarship is for students who are beginning their first and second high school years (grade 8 and 9) with a promising academic future. This program awards bursaries to a maximum of 2000 high school students each year. The main attributes needed to get this scholarship is when a student demonstrates initiative, seeks out opportunity, and accepts responsibility.

Siyandisa Scholarship, well, if you didn’t get any scholarship in grade 8 or 9, you could also try your luck with the Siyandisa programme. This initiative focuses mainly on students in grade 12 who are seeking financial assistance with accomplishing their final high school year. If Matric results are great, the scholarship will carry you through to university.

These are just a few examples of some of the many scholarships and bursaries offered to students in South Africa. The government and some government entities also have scholarships and bursary programs for students. The most common one is NSFAS, which mainly provides financial support to financially disadvantaged students in tertiary institutions. The funding comes along with book allowance, accommodation allowance, and tuition fees.

Being rejected by a scholarship or bursary program isn’t the end of the world. One can also apply for learnership or trainee programs in companies and state institutions such as Eskom, Rand Water, etc. It is our greatest hope that you find this article helpful in your search of a better future filled with opportunities.