DEFF Bursary South Africa 2025/2026

The DEFF Bursary South Africa Application for 2025/2026. Find below How to Apply for DEFF Bursary 2025/2026.

Our Bursaries pages seek to provide readers (Students) and applicants with:

Universities in South Africa Bursaries 2025/2026

2025/2026 Bursaries In South Africa Closing In All Fields

Government Departments Bursaries 2025/2026

About the DEFF Bursary South Africa: The Department of Environment, Forestry & Fisheries (DEFF) is a department of the South African government, formed in 2019 as the result of a merger between the Department of Environmental Affairs and the forestry and fisheries part of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). The DEFF is responsible for the protection, improvement and conservation of the environment and natural resources in South Africa.

Before you proceed to know How to Apply for DEFF Bursary 2025/2026 take a quick look at the topics below if you are interested:

Learnerships in South Africa 2025/2026

NSFAS Application 2025/2026

Student Loans in South Africa 2025/2026

Details of DEFF Bursary South Africa Application 2025/2026

Field of Study

Biodiversity and Conservation (Reference Number: B&C/01/2021);

Eco-tourism/ Game range management (National Diploma)
Environmental Economics (BA Degree)
Environmental Management / Science (BA Degree)
Environmental Management majoring in Environmental Law (BSc Degree)
Geology (BSc Degree)
Nature Conservation (National Diploma)
Zoology and Botany (BSc Degree)

Chemicals and Waste Management (Reference Number: CWM/01/2021):

Environmental Management (National Diploma/ B Tech Degree/ Bachelors Degree/ Honours/ Masters)
Environmental Science (National Diploma/ B Tech Degree/ Bachelors Degree/ Honours/ Masters)
Microbiology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biotechnology (BSc Degree/ Honours/ Masters)
Natural Science (Chemistry/ Geography/ Hydrology/ Water) (Bachelors Degree/ Honours/ Masters)
Waste Management (National Diploma/ B Tech Degree/ Bachelors Degree/ Honours/ Masters)

Climate Change, Air Quality and Sustainable Development (Reference Number: CCAS/01/2021):

Chemistry (BSc Degree)
Conservation (National Diploma/ Bachelors Degree)
Earth Science (National Diploma/ Bachelors Degree)
Environmental Management (National Diploma/ BSc Degree)
Environmental Science (National Diploma/ BSc Degree)
Hydrology (National Diploma/ Bachelors Degree)
Natural Science (National Diploma/ Bachelors Degree)

Environmental Programmes (Reference Number: EP/01/2021):

Biological Science (BSc Degree)
Economics (Honours)
Environmental Economics, Environmental Law, Environmental Science, Water Resource (BSc Degree/ Honours/ Masters)
Environmental Science majoring Biological Resources (BSc Degree)
Social Science (Bachelors Degree/ Honours/ Masters)

Fisheries (Reference Number: FI/01/2021):

Ichthyology specialising in Aquaculture (BSc Degree/ Honours/ MTech Degree/ MSc Degree/ DTech Degree/ PhD)
Marine Biology (BSc Degree/ Honours/ MTech Degree/ MSc Degree/ DTech Degree/ PhD)
Marine Science (National Diploma/BSc Degree/ Honours/ MTech Degree/ MSc Degree/ DTech Degree/ PhD)
Oceanography and Marine Biology (BSc Degree/ Honours/ MTech Degree/ MSc Degree/ DTech Degree/ PhD)
Veterinary Science (BVSc Degree)

Forestry (Reference Number: FO/01/2021):

Forestry (National Diploma/ BTech Degree/ MTech Degree)
Forestry (BSc Degree)/ Bachelor of Forestry Management
Forestry (BHons Degree)
Forestry (MSc Degree)

Regulatory Compliance and Sector Monitoring (Reference Number: RCSM/01/2021):

BA Law
Chemistry, Botany (BSc Degree)
Environmental Management (Bachelors Degree)
Environmental Sciences (majoring in Animal and wildlife management) (Bachelors Degree)
Environmental Sciences (majoring in Environmental Impact Assessment) (Bachelors Degree)
Geography, Geoinformatics (BSc Degree/ Honours Degree)
LLM
LLB (Major courses Administrative law, legislative drafting, Environmental Law)
Paralegal (Diploma or Degree)

Oceans and Coast (Reference Number: OC/01/2021):

Coastal Management (Bachelors Degree)
Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering (National Diploma/ BTech Degree/ BEng Degree/ Honours Degree)
Environmental Economics (BSc Degree/ Honours Degree/ Masters Degree)
Environmental Economics (BTech Degree/ M Tech Degree/ Honours Degree/ MA Degree)
Environmental Law (Bachelors Degree)
Environmental Science/ Environmental Management (BSc Degree)
Marine Science (National Diploma/ BTech Degree/ BSc Honours Degree/ MSc Degree/ PhD)
Mathematical Modelling, Computer Science, Information Systems Engineering (BSc Degree/ Honours / MSc Degree)
Oceanography (B Tech Degree/ M Tech Degree/ Honours Degree/ MSc Degree)

DEFF Bursary South Africa Application Requirements 2025/2026

South African citizen
Registered to study full-time at a recognised tertiary institution in South Africa
Completed your 1st year of undergraduate study OR currently registered for postgraduate studies
1st-year students will also be accepted if they provide strong motivate with their application
NOT employed
NOT an employee of the DEFF
Preference will be given to previously disadvantaged students and those with disabilities

DEFF Bursary South Africa Application Procedures 2025/2026

ID document (certified copy)
Qualifications/ certificates (certified copies)
Recent academic records (certified copies)
Proof of registration, if registered (on institutes letterhead)
Parents/ guardians ID documents (certified copies)
Parents/ guardians proof of income (latest payslips if employed/ affidavit if unemployed/ affidavit or death certificates if deceased)
Admission letter/ acceptance letter, if a 1st-year student (on institutes letterhead)
Research proposal, if an Honours or Masters student
Motivational letter to support your application and express why you should be awarded the bursary

Applications must be submitted in one of the following ways:

1) Courier or hand delivery: