The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative geared toward addressing the lack of capable teachers from the country.

It offers financial support to qualified students who wish to pursue a teaching qualification in places that are significant for your education sector.

The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to boost teaching like a career by funding students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected shortage of teachers, for example:

- Mathematics
- Physical Science
- Technology
- Languages (especially African languages)
- Early Childhood Development
- Foundation Phase Teaching

*** Who Qualifies For The Bursary?
To be eligible for the Funza Lushaka bursary, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. **Citizenship**: Has to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a recognized South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants will need to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students have to present satisfactory academic performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Will have to intend to educate in the priority subject area as determined through the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants need to demonstrate a motivation to educating and an comprehension of its significance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years when they apply.

*** Application Process With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:

1. ** On the internet Application**:
- Applications are submitted on line with the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (about the Department of Basic Education's focused Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the Funza Lushaka 2025 end on the academic calendar year and closes early the following calendar year (ordinarily November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and proof of university registration are expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is provided to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes as a result of a range process based upon the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.

***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition service fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Publications and studying products
- A small stipend for other living expenses

***Conditions for Working Back the Bursary:
Upon graduation, bursary recipients are required to:

1. **Teach in a Public School**: Recipients must work as teachers in a public school for the same number of years that they received the bursary. This is known as the "work-back" period.
2. **Service Placement**: The Department of Basic Education will place recipients in schools where their skills are needed, often in rural or underserved areas.
3. **Failure to Fulfill the Obligation**: If the recipient fails to meet the work-back obligation (e.g., not teaching after graduation or leaving before completing the required service), they will be required to repay the bursary amount in full, with interest.

***Renewal of the Bursary:
The bursary is renewable annually, provided the student continues to meet the academic and other requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.