The City of Ekurhuleni has opened applications for its Community Bursary Programme for the 2027 academic year, and the closing date is fixed: Monday, 30 November 2026. The announcement was published on the city’s own site on 30 October 2026. If you live in Ekurhuleni, have a 2027 place at a university or TVET college and cannot fund it, this is a real route — but only for specific fields of study, and the paperwork is exacting.
Who qualifies
The requirements, as the city states them, are all of the following:
- South African citizen who permanently resides within the City of Ekurhuleni, with proof of residence.
- Aged between 18 and 35.
- Completed Grade 12.
- Already hold an acceptance letter or proof of registration for full-time study in the 2027 academic year.
- Annual household income not exceeding R600 000.
The programme is aimed at students who are academically deserving and financially needy, and it funds full-time undergraduate study at accredited South African universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges.
What it funds
This is where most people who apply in good faith get filtered out, because the bursary is limited to specific qualifications.
- Built Environment: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Property Studies, Building and Construction Management, Geomatics/GIS.
- Information Communication Technology: Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology in Internet of Things; BSc in Computer Science and Informatics specialising in Artificial Intelligence; BSc in Information Technology.
- Finance: BCom Accounting and Finance; Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
- Environmental Health Sciences: Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Safety, Water Quality, Waste Management.
- TVET technical, artisan and apprenticeship qualifications: Electrical Engineering (NATED), Civil Engineering (NATED), Electrical Infrastructure Construction, Building and Civil Construction. An N3 entry level is required.
The documents, and the part people get wrong
The application needs certified copies of your South African ID, your acceptance letter or proof of registration, proof of residence within Ekurhuleni, and proof of household income — the city lists salary slips, a stamped bank statement with an affidavit, or proof of a social grant.
Two details decide whether the file is accepted. The certification on those copies must not be older than three months. And the proof of residence must likewise be no older than three months. Certificates are cheap and quick to get, but if you certified your ID in July it will not count in November — get everything certified fresh, together, in one visit.
How to apply
Applications go through the city’s bursary portal at bursaries.ekurhuleni.gov.za. Create a user profile using “Register”, activate it through the email you receive, log in, select “Community Bursary” and click “Apply”. Submit accurately, keep the reference number the system generates, and track progress under “My Applications” — a valid email address is required because that is how acknowledgement and outcomes are communicated.
One warning from checking the site on 1 November 2026: the portal returned an error page rather than loading. That may be temporary load or maintenance, but it is a reason not to leave your submission to the last weekend. Start the profile now, and if the portal fails repeatedly the city lists contact numbers on the announcement page: 011 999 3516, 011 999 7772, 011 999 8231 and 011 999 0547.
The full announcement, including the field list above, is on the City of Ekurhuleni site.
Before you apply, know the obligation
This is a bursary rather than a loan, but it is not unconditional. The city states it is renewable annually subject to academic performance, that successful applicants must sign a bursary contract with the City, and that it reserves the right to withdraw funding for poor academic performance or misconduct. Read that contract before you sign it.
What to do today
Check your field against the list above before spending anything. If your qualification is not on it, this bursary is not the route — look instead at what your institution’s financial aid office and other funders cover. If it is on the list, do the three time-critical things now: request proof of residence, get documents certified, and register your profile on the portal. There are four weeks until 30 November, and two of those steps depend on other people’s turnaround times.