🟢 OPEN — Applications close 31 August 2026
Is the Nedbank Bursary open? Yes. Applications for the 2027 academic year are currently open and close on 31 August 2026.
The Nedbank External Bursary Programme provides financial support for full-time study to South African students who demonstrate financial need and have the potential to complete an eligible undergraduate or Honours qualification. The programme focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and green-economy skills at South African public universities and universities of technology.
Last verified: 29 August 2026
Nedbank Bursary: At a Glance
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Bursary | Nedbank External Bursary Programme |
| Provider | Nedbank |
| Current intake | 2027 academic year |
| Status | Open |
| Closing date | 31 August 2026 |
| Study level | Undergraduate and Honours |
| Study mode | Full-time |
| Institutions | South African public universities and universities of technology |
| Fields | STEM and green-economy skills |
| Minimum academic requirement | 65% |
| Citizenship | South African citizens |
| Financial need | Required |
| Mathematics Literacy | Not accepted |
| Application method | Online |
What is the Nedbank Bursary?
The Nedbank External Bursary Programme is a funding programme provided by Nedbank for South African students who need financial assistance to pursue eligible full-time tertiary studies.
The programme is designed to help address scarce-skills requirements in South Africa, with the current programme specifically focusing on science, technology, engineering, mathematics and green-economy skills.
For the current intake, eligible students can pursue undergraduate or Honours qualifications at a South African public university or university of technology, provided they satisfy Nedbank’s academic, admission and financial-need requirements.
Nedbank Bursary Requirements
You may qualify for the Nedbank Bursary if you meet the programme’s requirements, including the following:
- You must be a South African citizen.
- You must intend to study full-time towards an eligible undergraduate or Honours qualification.
- You must have admission to a South African public university or university of technology.
- Your qualification must fall within the programme’s specified STEM or green-economy fields.
- You must have achieved an average of at least 65% in the year in which you are applying.
- You must also have an average of at least 65% in subjects aligned to the degree you intend to study.
- You must demonstrate proven financial need based on household income.
- You must have completed Grade 12 or the Senior Certificate with Mathematics rather than Mathematics Literacy.
- You must provide the required supporting documentation.
- Parent or guardian consent and financial information may be required as part of the financial assessment.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an award. Applications are screened and shortlisted, and successful awards are made at the discretion of the Nedbank Educational Trust.
What Fields Does Nedbank Fund?
The programme focuses on STEM and green-economy skills. Nedbank describes the main areas as:
- Science
- Technology
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Green-economy skills
Applicants should check that their specific qualification falls within the fields identified by Nedbank. Do not assume that a qualification is eligible simply because it contains mathematics, technology or another STEM-related subject.
Who Can Apply?
The Nedbank Bursary is intended for South African citizens who require financial assistance and intend to pursue eligible full-time studies at a South African public university or university of technology.
The programme is relevant to both students preparing for university and eligible students who are already studying, provided they meet the applicable academic and qualification requirements.
Can You Apply With Mathematics Literacy?
No. Nedbank states that applicants who completed Grade 12 or the Senior Certificate with Mathematics Literacy will not qualify for the bursary.
Which Universities Does Nedbank Fund?
The programme is available to students admitted to a South African public university or university of technology.
This means applicants should not assume that a private institution qualifies. The institution and the applicant’s qualification must meet the requirements of the bursary programme.
Nedbank Bursary Benefits and What It Covers
The official Nedbank information confirms that the External Bursary Programme provides financial support for full-time study. The programme is intended to assist students who have financial need and meet the academic, admission and field-of-study requirements.
However, applicants should be careful when interpreting the word “bursary”. The current official Nedbank information does not publish a fixed 2027 rand amount on the bursary information page. It also does not provide a public item-by-item 2027 schedule stating exactly how much will be paid for tuition, accommodation, meals, books, transport or other expenses.
For that reason, Grads24 does not publish an unsupported figure as the Nedbank Bursary amount. The precise financial support attached to an award should be confirmed from Nedbank’s current application information and the applicable bursary award conditions.
Confirmed from Nedbank:
- The programme provides financial support for full-time study.
- It is intended for students with proven financial need.
- The programme is administered through the Nedbank Educational Trust.
- Bursary awards are made at the sole discretion of the Nedbank Educational Trust.
Not publicly specified as a fixed 2027 amount on the current official page:
- A specific annual rand value.
- A specific monthly allowance.
- A fixed accommodation allowance.
- A fixed meal allowance.
- A fixed textbook or laptop allowance.
This distinction is important because figures published for older application cycles or on third-party websites should not automatically be treated as the amount available for the current intake.
Financial Checks Affidavit and Household Financial Documents
Financial need is a central part of the Nedbank Bursary application. Nedbank states that applicants must have proven financial need, determined according to household income.
This means academic performance alone is not enough. An applicant can meet the 65% academic requirement and still need to demonstrate that their household’s financial circumstances justify bursary assistance.
Financial Checks Affidavit
Nedbank requires a Financial Checks Affidavit as part of the application documentation. The affidavit must be signed by the applicant and their parent(s) or guardian(s).
Nedbank provides the affidavit for applicants to download, complete and sign before adding it to the online application.
Do not leave the affidavit until the final day of the application period. If a parent or guardian needs to sign the document, allow enough time to obtain the required signatures and check that the information is complete and accurate.
Bank Statements
Nedbank also requires the applicant’s latest three months’ bank statements. These documents form part of the financial assessment used to establish the applicant’s financial circumstances.
Applicants should make sure that the bank statements they submit are the required recent statements and that the information is clear and readable.
Additional Financial Information
Shortlisted applicants may be required to provide additional household financial information as part of the assessment process. Nedbank’s official information confirms that further financial information may be requested and that shortlisted applicants undergo additional screening.
Depending on the circumstances of the household, applicants should therefore be prepared to provide accurate information about the financial situation supporting their application if Nedbank requests it.
Important: Do not submit altered, incomplete or misleading financial information. Financial information is being used to assess proven financial need, and incomplete applications can be rejected.
Documents Required for the Nedbank Bursary
Nedbank currently identifies the following documents for the application:
- Certified copy of your South African ID.
- Grade 11 final results and current mid-year results if you are currently in Grade 12.
- Grade 12 final results and current mid-year results if you are currently in your first year at university.
- Last academic-year results and current mid-year results if you are in your second or third year at university.
- Financial Checks Affidavit signed by you and your parent(s) or guardian(s).
- Your latest three months’ bank statements.
Nedbank may request further information during the screening process. Applicants should therefore keep relevant academic and household financial documents available after submitting the application.
How to Apply for the Nedbank Bursary
Applications are submitted online through the application route provided by Nedbank.
- Check that you meet the academic, citizenship, admission, field-of-study and financial-need requirements.
- Prepare your academic documents and certified South African ID.
- Complete the Financial Checks Affidavit with the required signatures.
- Prepare your latest three months’ bank statements.
- Complete the online Nedbank bursary application.
- Upload the required supporting documents.
- Check the application carefully for missing information.
- Submit the application before the closing date.
Only complete online applications submitted through the provided application route are considered. Nedbank states that incomplete applications will be disqualified.
Apply through the official Nedbank Graduates and Bursaries page →
What Happens After You Apply?
Submitting an application does not automatically mean that you will receive a bursary.
- Nedbank screens applications against the qualifying criteria.
- Eligible applicants may be shortlisted.
- Shortlisted applicants may be required to provide additional financial information.
- Shortlisted applicants undergo psychometric and other assessments.
- Shortlisted applicants attend a virtual interview.
- Applications and screening results are presented to the Nedbank Educational Trust.
- The Nedbank Educational Trust makes the final bursary awards.
- Applicants receive feedback about the outcome once the recruitment process has been completed.
2027 Application vs Previous Nedbank Application Forms
If you find older Nedbank bursary application forms or PDF documents in Google search results, do not assume that they contain the requirements for the current intake.
Search results may continue to surface older documents such as Nedbank Bursary Application Form 2020 or Nedbank Bursary Application Form 2021. These documents relate to previous application cycles and should not be used as the authority for the current application.
For the current intake, use the official Nedbank online application route and the current requirements published by Nedbank. This is particularly important where requirements, documents, fields of study or application procedures have changed between cycles.
Nedbank Bursary Closing Date
The current application deadline is 31 August 2026.
Applications for the 2027 academic year are currently open. Nedbank states that applications close on 31 August 2026.
Do not wait until the deadline to begin the application. The Financial Checks Affidavit, academic results and bank statements need to be prepared before you submit.
Is the Nedbank Bursary Still Open?
Yes. The Nedbank Bursary is currently open for the 2027 academic year.
Closing date: 31 August 2026.
If you are considering applying, check your eligibility and begin preparing the required financial and academic documents immediately rather than waiting until the closing date.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Nedbank Bursary
Is the Nedbank Bursary open?
Yes. Applications for the 2027 academic year are currently open and close on 31 August 2026.
What are the Nedbank Bursary requirements?
Applicants must be South African citizens, meet the minimum academic requirements, have admission to an eligible South African public university or university of technology, study in an eligible field, demonstrate financial need and provide the required supporting documents.
What average do I need for the Nedbank Bursary?
Nedbank requires an average of at least 65% in the year in which you are applying and an average of at least 65% in subjects aligned to the degree you intend to study.
Does Nedbank accept Mathematics Literacy?
No. Applicants who completed Grade 12 or the Senior Certificate with Mathematics Literacy do not qualify.
Does the Nedbank Bursary require financial need?
Yes. Proven financial need is a core requirement and is determined according to household income.
What is the Financial Checks Affidavit for the Nedbank Bursary?
The Financial Checks Affidavit is a document used as part of Nedbank’s financial-need assessment. It must be completed and signed by the applicant and their parent(s) or guardian(s), then submitted with the application.
How many months of bank statements does Nedbank require?
Nedbank currently requires the applicant’s latest three months’ bank statements as part of the application documentation.
How much does the Nedbank Bursary pay each month?
Nedbank’s current public bursary information confirms that the programme provides financial support for full-time study, but it does not publish a fixed monthly allowance for the current intake on the official bursary page. Applicants should therefore not rely on an amount published for an older application cycle or by an unsupported third-party source.
What does the Nedbank Bursary cover?
The programme provides financial support towards eligible full-time study. However, Nedbank’s current public information does not publish a fixed 2027 rand amount or a complete itemised schedule of every expense covered. The exact financial support should therefore be confirmed from the current application information and award conditions.
Can university students apply for the Nedbank Bursary?
Yes. The programme can consider eligible students already studying at university, provided they meet the relevant requirements. The academic documents required depend on the applicant’s current year of study.
Can Honours students apply?
Yes. The current Nedbank External Bursary Programme includes eligible Honours qualifications.
Does Nedbank fund private universities?
The current eligibility criteria refer to South African public universities and universities of technology. Applicants should therefore not assume that private institutions qualify.
What happens after I submit my Nedbank Bursary application?
Applications are screened against the qualifying criteria. Shortlisted applicants may be asked for additional financial information and must undergo psychometric and other assessments and a virtual interview. Final awards are made at the discretion of the Nedbank Educational Trust.
Related Bursary Opportunities
If you are considering the Nedbank Bursary, it is sensible to investigate other funding opportunities that match your field and study level rather than relying on one application.
- Information Technology and Computer Science Bursaries — for students pursuing technology-related qualifications.
- Engineering Bursaries South Africa — for applicants pursuing engineering qualifications.
- Accounting Bursaries South Africa — for students considering accounting and related qualifications.
- Commerce Bursaries South Africa — for students studying commerce, economics, business and related fields.
- Postgraduate Bursaries South Africa — useful when looking specifically for postgraduate funding opportunities.
- Bursaries Currently Open for 2027 — compare the Nedbank opportunity with other bursaries that are accepting applications.
Apply for the Nedbank Bursary
The Nedbank Bursary is currently open for applications for the 2027 academic year.
Closing date: 31 August 2026.
Before applying, make sure that you meet the academic and admission requirements and have prepared your Financial Checks Affidavit, academic results, certified ID and latest three months’ bank statements.
Apply via the official Nedbank Bursary page →
Nedbank Bursary Team: Unlockyourambition@nedbank.co.za
Always check Nedbank’s official bursary information before submitting your application. Requirements, application procedures and funding conditions can change between application cycles.