UNISA Bursaries Application 2025/2026

Postgraduate diploma and Honours bursary

The next application period for this bursary will open on 4 January 2025 and close on 31 March 2025.

To apply please click here

(Only online applications submitted via myUnisa will be considered. No hard copy or e-mail applications will be considered.)

About the bursary

The honours and postgraduate diploma bursaries aim to assist students with their Unisa tuition fees, thus enabling them to register and complete their qualifications.

Financial support is offered to postgraduate diploma and honours students subject to eligibility, academic performance and availability of funds.

A selection committee will convene to consider applications and to decide on the amounts awarded to successful applications. The decision of the selection committee is final.

Bursary guidelines, terms and conditions

The UNISA bursaries awarded to postgraduate diploma and honour students cover tuition fees only.

• The bursary is awarded to South African citizens registered for postgraduate diplomas or honours degrees in any discipline at Unisa.
• Preference will be given to students who completed their undergraduate qualifications at Unisa.
• The student must have obtained a 60% average, calculated on the basis of their entire undergraduate degree or honours modules for which they had registered previously.
• The maximum term for completion of a postgraduate diploma or honours degree is three years. However, the student is funded for only the first two consecutive years of study; should the student not complete their studies within three years, the bursary amount awarded during the second year of study will be charged to the student’s account, which will be handed over to the Unisa legal department to affect the collection process.
• Students registering for special study programmes, including certificates and non-degree purpose studies, are not eligible for this bursary.
• Students who already hold a postgraduate degree at the same or a higher level are not eligible for this bursary.
• Unisa gives no guarantee that the bursary will be awarded to all eligible students, as the bursary is subject to the availability of funds.
• Re-application for the second year of study will be considered only if the student maintained an average of 60% for the first year of study.
• A renewal bursary is granted only to students who are previous recipients of the Unisa postgraduate bursary and continue to comply with the relevant conditions.
• Eligible returning students who do not re-register for the academic year will be in breach of the agreement governing the bursary. The current year’s bursary reapplication will be cancelled, and the amount awarded the previous year will be charged to the student’s account, which will be handed over to the Unisa legal department to affect the collection process.
• The bursary will not cover modules that were previously failed.
• If a student:
  • fails to comply with any of the conditions of the award, and/or
  • terminates their studies,

their Unisa postgraduate bursary will be cancelled and the recent, previous and/or current year’s Unisa postgraduate bursary amount awarded will be charged to the student’s account, which will be handed over to the Unisa legal department to affect the collection process.

Requirements

The following documents must accompany the postgraduate diploma and honours degree bursary applications:

1. A certified copy of the applicant’s ID
2. A copy of the applicant’s academic record (stamped and/or encrypted by the institution)
3. Proof of registration

Please note:

• Awards are dependent on available funding.
• No late and/or incomplete applications will be considered.
• If you need assistance in applying for a bursary, please contact the Postgraduate Bursaries Administration Office.

Click here for the bursary guidelines, terms and conditions.

The next application period for this bursary will open on 4 January 2025 and close on 31 March 2025.