Key Facts
- Status
- Applications Open
- Provider
- Field of Study
- Study Level
- Academic Year
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2027
- Application Closes
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Eligibility Requirements
- Employed route: currently working in the mining and minerals sector
- Unemployed route: financially needy and academically deserving student
- Studying at a public university, university of technology or TVET college
- Check citizenship rules with the MQA, because a past employed form limited the award to South African citizens
Documents Needed
The official page does not list documents. Past forms asked for items such as a certified ID and, for unemployed applicants, an affidavit. Check the portal or ask your institution for the 2027 list before the closing date.
About MQA Bursary
The MQA Bursary funds university and TVET college students who want careers in the mining and minerals sector. The Mining Qualifications Authority, the sector's skills body, runs the scheme. Applications for the 2027 academic year close on 19 November 2026, according to the official MQA page.
This mining bursary has two routes, and the right one depends on your situation. Employed workers apply for themselves online. Unemployed students cannot apply directly, because their institutions apply on their behalf. So if you are a student, your first step is to speak to your financial aid office.
Funding Details
The official page does not list the amount or the costs that the bursary covers, and it does not mention work-back. Do not assume full funding. Ask the MQA or your financial aid office what the award pays, how it reaches you, and whether it can sit alongside NSFAS or another bursary.
Also ask what happens if you fail a module, and whether you must repay any money. These questions are especially useful for employed applicants, whose employers may have training agreements of their own.
Where You Can Study
The scheme covers public universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges. The MQA assigns staff to different institutions. For example, its page links one officer to Wits and the University of Johannesburg, and another to UNISA, UKZN and the University of the Free State. Your financial aid office can tell you whether your institution has applied, and whether you can still be included.
About Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA)
About the Mining Qualifications AuthorityThe Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) is the Sector Education and Training Authority for the mining and minerals sector. The Mine Health and Safety Act of 1996 first set it up…
View full provider profile →- Address
- 7 Anerley Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193
- Phone
- 011 547 2600
- info@mqa.org.za
Fields of Study & Who Can Apply
The employed route is for people who already work in the mining and minerals sector. The unemployed route is for financially needy and academically deserving students at public universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges.
The official page does not list fields of study or a minimum mark. Because the scheme aims to grow careers in this sector, expect the focus to stay on mining-related study. Ask the MQA or your institution which qualifications it will fund for 2027.
The sector needs more than miners. Companies also rely on engineers, geologists, surveyors, metallurgists, safety officers and artisans, so many courses could connect to this work. In your application, explain how your course could lead to a job in the sector, and mention any link you have to a mining community.
Application Procedure
Employed applicants apply through the MQA's SIMS portal, which is linked on the MQA bursaries page. Unemployed students must ask their institution to apply through the MQA OneView portal. The MQA says only successful applicants will be contacted, so no reply by 15 December 2026 means the application failed. General queries go to info@mqa.org.za or +27 11 547 2600.
- Closes
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Questions about this application?
Contact Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) directly:
Last verified:
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the MQA Bursary close?
The official page lists 19 November 2026 for both routes.
Can an unemployed student apply directly?
No. The university or TVET college applies on your behalf.
How will I know the outcome?
The MQA contacts only successful applicants. No reply by 15 December 2026 means you were unsuccessful.
