Services SETA Bursary Programme
Services SETA (Services Sector Education and Training Authority)
The Services SETA Bursary Programme funds South African students in services-sector qualifications (NQF Level 5 and higher) at public universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges. Instead of running a single national application portal, Services SETA allocates bursary funding to institutions, whose financial aid offices advertise the call and select the students. For the 2026 academic year it ran a R520 million scheme with Universities South Africa (USAf): R20 million for each public university to fund about 5,200 first-time-entering, unemployed students in total, at up to R100,000 per student per year. It also funded TVET college students through the colleges. No call for the 2027 intake had been announced as of 12 October 2026.
- Amount
- Up to R100,000 per student per year for first-time university entrants under the 2026 Services SETA–USAf scheme, paid to the institution for tuition and fees first, then prescribed books, accommodation and meals (meals capped at R15,000 a year). The 2025 round capped unemployed undergraduates at R86,000 and unemployed TVET students at R35,000.
- Deadline
- To be announced
- Renewable
- Yes
Eligible Fields of Study
Services SETA (Services Sector Education and Training Authority) supports students in the following disciplines
Eligibility Requirements
- ✓ South African citizen with a valid South African ID
- ✓ Registered (or accepted) at a public university, university of technology or TVET college in a services-sector-related qualification at NQF Level 5 or higher
- ✓ 2026 university round (Services SETA–USAf scheme): first-time-entering, unemployed students only
- ✓ Financial need: the 2026 calls required a combined household income below R1,000,000 a year (VUT); the 2025 round targeted 'missing middle' households earning between R350,000 and R600,000 a year
- ✓ Must not hold another bursary or receive funding from another public entity such as NSFAS for the same academic year
- ✓ Continuing students must pass at least 75% of registered modules and stay in the same qualification to be renewed (bridging courses are not funded)
What's Included
- ✓ Tuition and registration fees (paid first)
- ✓ Prescribed academic textbooks
- ✓ Campus residence or institution-accredited private accommodation, capped at the institution's residence cost (unemployed students)
- ✓ Meals, up to R15,000 a year (unemployed students)
- ✓ Once-off laptop allowance (offered in the 2026 VUT call; the 2025 round paid books or a once-off laptop)
- ✓ Research and travel allowance for Master's and PhD students, subject to Services SETA approval
Work Commitment
The 2026 Services SETA bursary agreement for unemployed students sets no post-study work-back obligation. Bursars must attend compulsory Services SETA workshops, make themselves available for vacation work at the Services SETA when directed, and may not take up NSFAS or other bursary funding for the same costs.
How to Apply
Steps to complete your Services SETA (Services Sector Education and Training Authority) bursary application
- 1
Watch for the next Services SETA bursary call: it is advertised through public universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges, and no 2027 call had been announced as of 12 October 2026
- 2
Check your institution's financial aid office or website — in 2026 VUT's Financial Aid Office issued the call and collected paper forms, and in 2025 UCT took applications by email
- 3
Make sure you are registered or accepted in an eligible services-sector qualification at that public institution
- 4
Complete the Services SETA application form supplied by the institution and attach all certified supporting documents
- 5
Submit before the institution's closing date (VUT's 2026 call closed 25 May 2026; UCT's 2025 call closed 15 September 2025)
- 6
Services SETA contacts successful applicants through the institution to sign a bursary agreement; if you are not asked to sign one, treat the application as unsuccessful
- 7
For general queries, contact Services SETA on 011 276 9600 or customercare@serviceseta.org.za
Required Documents
- 📄 Completed Services SETA bursary application form (from your institution's financial aid office)
- 📄 Recently certified copy of your South African ID (VUT's 2026 call required certification within the last three months)
- 📄 Affidavit declaring unemployment and household income (unemployed applicants)
- 📄 Proof of household income, such as parents' or guardians' recent payslips, and certified ID copies of both parents or guardians
- 📄 Official academic record
- 📄 Proof of registration and a fee statement from the institution
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Services SETA Bursary open for 2027?
- Not yet. As of 12 October 2026 Services SETA had not announced a bursary call for the 2027 intake. Its most recent bursary notice, published on 8 October 2026, dealt only with payment delays for students already funded in 2026. Students funded in 2026 are considered for continued funding in 2027 through their university if they meet the academic progress rules. New applicants should watch servicesseta.org.za and their institution's financial aid office.
- Is there a Services SETA bursary online application for 2027?
- No 2027 online application had been published as of 12 October 2026. In the 2025 and 2026 rounds, students applied through their own institution's financial aid office rather than a national Services SETA portal (for example on paper forms at VUT and by email at UCT). Check any site that claims to take 2027 Services SETA applications against servicesseta.org.za or your institution before you share your documents.
- Who qualified in the 2026 round?
- The 2026 university round, run with Universities South Africa, was for South African, first-time-entering, unemployed students enrolled in services-sector qualifications at public universities. Calls such as VUT's required a combined household income below R1,000,000 a year and no other bursary or external funding. Continuing students must pass at least 75% of their registered modules to be renewed.
- What does the Services SETA Bursary cover?
- Funding is paid to the institution in this order: tuition and fees, prescribed books, campus or accredited private accommodation, and meals (up to R15,000 a year). The 2026 university scheme was capped at R100,000 per student per year. Some calls included a once-off laptop allowance, and Master's and PhD students may receive research and travel allowances. It does not pay for supplementary exams, recess accommodation, practical training, interest on historic debt or modules carried over from earlier years.
- My 2026 Services SETA bursary payment is delayed. What should I do?
- On 8 October 2026 Services SETA apologised for delays in finalising bursary funding and payments for TVET and university students. It asked affected students to contact their institution's Financial Aid Office urgently and to submit outstanding documents, including proof of combined household income for October and November 2025 and certified ID copies of both parents or guardians, by 9 October 2026. Contact your Financial Aid Office or Services SETA (011 276 9600, customercare@serviceseta.org.za) if you are still affected.
When do 2027 applications open?
Services SETA (Services Sector Education and Training Authority) has not yet announced dates for the 2027 intake.
Services SETA runs its student bursary through public universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges, so closing dates differ by institution. The 2025 academic-year round closed in September 2025 (UCT: 15 September 2025), and the 2026 round for first-time entrants ran through university financial aid offices in about March to May 2026 (VUT closed 25 May 2026). As of 12 October 2026 no call for the 2027 intake had been announced.
Check Services SETA (Services Sector Education and Training Authority)'s official siteNeed help? Contact Services SETA (Services Sector Education and Training Authority):
Email: customercare@serviceseta.org.za
Phone: 011 276 9600
Information verified 2026-10-12. Always confirm details on the funder's official website before applying.
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