Verified 28 August 2026
SETA bursaries for 2027
Each of South Africa's 21 SETAs funds study in its own economic sector, so the question is never "how do I apply for a SETA bursary" — it is which SETA funds my qualification. Start there, then follow that SETA's application route.
21
SETAs in total
3
accepting applications
12
awaiting a 2027 window
15
with verified guides
Start here
How SETA bursary funding actually works
SETAs are funded by the Skills Development Levy, a payroll levy paid by employers. That money is earmarked for skills the sector is short of, which is why a SETA bursary is tied to your field of study rather than your circumstances alone. A student with strong marks and real financial need will still be turned down by the MQA if they are studying law.
Route 1
Through your institution
The SETA gives a public university or TVET college a discretionary grant, and the institution selects and funds students. BANKSETA, HWSETA and FoodBev SETA work this way. You apply through your financial aid office, not the SETA.
Route 2
Direct on the SETA's system
Some SETAs run their own online management system and take student applications directly — the MQA, CETA and CHIETA among them. These are the closest thing to a "SETA bursary online application", and each has its own portal.
Route 3
Employer learnership
Much SETA money never reaches an open bursary at all — it funds learnerships and internships hosted by employers in the sector. If a SETA shows no student window, this is usually where its funding went.
There is no single national SETA application portal. Any site offering "one SETA application for all bursaries" is not an official route. Apply only through the SETA's own site or your registered institution.
Apply first
SETA deadlines in the next 60 days
AgriSETA
Closes 15 Sept 2026 (18 days)
Agriculture, agricultural economics, animal and plant production, agronomy and related sciences
View requirements →Services SETA
Closes 15 Sept 2026 (18 days)
Business management, HR, marketing, project and public management, and personal care services
View requirements →INSETA
Closes 20 Oct 2026 (53 days)
Actuarial science, insurance, risk management, finance and related commerce degrees
View requirements →All 21 SETAs: which one funds your qualification
Open windows first, then programmes waiting on 2027 dates. We hold verified guides for 15 of the 21 SETAs; the rest link to the official site until we have confirmed a current student window.
| SETA | Sector | What it funds | 2027 window |
|---|---|---|---|
| AgriSETA Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authority | Agriculture | Agriculture, agricultural economics, animal and plant production, agronomy and related sciences | Closing soon Closes 15 Sept 2026 (18 days) |
| Services SETA Services Sector Education and Training Authority | Business services | Business management, HR, marketing, project and public management, and personal care services | Closing soon Closes 15 Sept 2026 (18 days) |
| INSETA Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority | Insurance | Actuarial science, insurance, risk management, finance and related commerce degrees | Closing soon Closes 20 Oct 2026 (53 days) |
| MQA Mining Qualifications Authority | Mining | Mining and metallurgical engineering, geology, mine surveying and occupational health in mining | Dates TBA 2027 dates not announced |
| MICT SETA Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority | ICT & media | Computer science, IT, software development, data science, film, television and advertising | Dates TBA 2027 dates not announced |
| BANKSETA Banking Sector Education and Training Authority | Banking | Banking, finance, risk, actuarial science and business qualifications linked to the banking sector | Dates TBA 2027 dates not announced |
| SASSETA Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority | Safety & security | Policing, law, forensic science, corrections and private security management | Dates TBA 2027 dates not announced |
| merSETA Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority | Manufacturing & engineering | Mechanical, electrical, industrial and metallurgical engineering, plus automotive and plastics | Window closed Last window closed 31 Jul 2026 |
| W&RSETA Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority | Wholesale & retail | Retail business management, supply chain, marketing and commerce qualifications | Window closed Last window closed 30 May 2026 |
| ETDP SETA Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority | Education | Teaching, education management, early childhood development, library and information science | Window closed Last window closed 31 Mar 2026 |
| FASSET Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority | Finance & accounting | Accounting, auditing, taxation, business management and the CA(SA) pipeline | Window closed Last window closed 28 Feb 2026 |
| CHIETA Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority | Chemical industries | Chemical engineering, chemistry, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and explosives manufacturing | Window closed Last window closed 27 Feb 2026 |
| HWSETA Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority | Health & welfare | Nursing, social work, community health, veterinary and allied health qualifications | Window closed Last window closed 20 Feb 2026 |
| CETA Construction Education and Training Authority | Construction | Civil engineering, quantity surveying, construction management, architecture and built environment | Window closed Last window closed 30 Jan 2026 |
| FoodBev SETA Food and Beverages Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority | Food & beverage | Food technology, food science, biotechnology and manufacturing operations | Window closed Last window closed 14 Nov 2025 |
| CATHSSETA Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority | Tourism & hospitality | Tourism, hospitality, hotel and catering management, arts, culture, sport and recreation | Official site Not yet on All Bursaries |
| EWSETA Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority | Energy & water | Electrical and energy engineering, renewable energy, water and wastewater treatment, nuclear and gas | Official site Not yet on All Bursaries |
| FP&M SETA Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority | Fibre & manufacturing | Textiles, clothing, footwear, forestry, furniture, printing, packaging and publishing | Official site Not yet on All Bursaries |
| LGSETA Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority | Local government | Public administration, municipal finance, town and regional planning, and environmental health | Official site Not yet on All Bursaries |
| PSETA Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority | Public service | Public administration, public management, policy and governance for the state sector | Official site Not yet on All Bursaries |
| TETA Transport Education and Training Authority | Transport | Logistics, supply chain, aviation, maritime studies, rail, road freight and transport management | Official site Not yet on All Bursaries |
6 SETAs above link straight to the official site. They either fund entirely through employer learnerships or have not advertised a current student window — we would rather send you to the source than publish a date we cannot verify.
Applying for a SETA bursary for 2027
- 1
Match your qualification to a sector. Use the table above. If your degree spans two sectors — industrial engineering sits across merSETA and CETA, for example — you can apply to both, as they assess independently.
- 2
Check the current notice, not last year's date. Several SETAs advertise irregularly rather than on a fixed annual cycle. A closed window is not evidence the next one will open on the same date.
- 3
Ask your financial aid office first. For institution-routed SETAs the student never applies directly, and the internal deadline is often weeks earlier than the SETA's own.
- 4
Prepare the standard document set. Certified ID, latest academic results, proof of registration or acceptance, and proof of household income. Nearly every SETA asks for these four, and incomplete applications are rejected without review.
- 5
Apply to more than one. SETA bursaries are heavily oversubscribed, and there is no penalty for applying to every SETA whose sector genuinely covers your qualification.
What most SETAs require
Criteria vary by SETA and by cycle, so treat this as the common baseline and confirm the detail on the individual programme page.
Usually required
- South African citizenship and a valid SA ID
- Registration or acceptance at a public university, university of technology or TVET college
- A qualification relevant to that SETA's sector, generally NQF Level 5 or higher
- Household income below the SETA's threshold
- A minimum academic average, typically 50–60%
- For unemployed-learner windows, an age limit that is often 18–35
Commonly covered
- Tuition fees, in full or in part
- Prescribed textbooks and learning materials
- Accommodation and meals, usually for unemployed students only
- A monthly living allowance where the SETA offers one
- Workplace experience, a learnership or an internship placement
- Occasionally a once-off laptop, via the host institution
SETA bursary questions
What is a SETA bursary?
A SETA bursary is study funding paid from the Skills Development Levy by one of South Africa’s 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities. Each SETA funds qualifications that feed its own economic sector — the MQA funds mining, merSETA funds manufacturing and engineering, HWSETA funds health and welfare, and so on. Because the funding is sector-specific, the first step is identifying which SETA covers your qualification rather than applying to all of them.
How do I apply for a SETA bursary for 2027?
There is no single national SETA application portal. Most SETAs fund students in one of three ways: through a partner public university or TVET college that applies on your behalf, through the SETA’s own online management system, or through an employer-linked learnership. Check the individual SETA’s current notice to see which route applies, and speak to your institution’s financial aid office — for several SETAs, including BANKSETA and HWSETA, the institution submits the application, not the student.
When do SETA bursaries open for 2027?
SETA windows do not share a common opening date and several do not run on a fixed annual cycle at all. Windows have recently closed anywhere from late January to mid-September depending on the SETA. Rather than relying on last year’s date, check the current window for the specific SETA that funds your field — the directory on this page shows the verified position for each one.
Who qualifies for a SETA bursary?
Common requirements across most SETAs are South African citizenship with a valid ID, registration or acceptance at a public university, university of technology or TVET college, study in a qualification relevant to that SETA’s sector, demonstrated financial need against a household income threshold, and a minimum academic average — typically 50 to 60 percent. Several SETAs restrict unemployed-learner funding to applicants aged 18 to 35.
Can I hold a SETA bursary and NSFAS at the same time?
Generally no. SETA bursaries and NSFAS both cover tuition and allowances, and funders do not fund the same costs twice. If you are awarded a SETA bursary while holding NSFAS funding you must declare it, and one award is usually adjusted or withdrawn. Check the specific conditions in your bursary agreement before accepting.
How many SETAs are there in South Africa?
There are 21 SETAs, established under the Skills Development Act and overseen by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Not every SETA runs a direct student bursary in every cycle — some channel their funding entirely through employer learnerships and discretionary grants to institutions.
Keep looking
SETA funding is one route. If your qualification does not map cleanly onto a sector, the wider 2027 directory and NSFAS are the next places to check.