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
- From the South Deep host community or surrounding areas
- Household income of R350,000 a year or less
- Grade 12 applicants: average of 75%, excluding Life Orientation
- First-time applicants already studying: average of 65% in your latest year
- Returning recipients: average of at least 50%
- Not a dependant of a Gold Fields employee or a trustee
Documents Needed
- Certified ID, with certification from the last three months
- Proof of address and a bank confirmation letter from the last three months
- Acceptance letter from your institution
- Stamped or certified academic results
- Certified IDs of your parents or guardians
- Their proof of income, pension or grant, or an affidavit
- Tuition or accommodation estimate
About South Deep Education Trust Bursary
The South Deep Education Trust Bursary funds tertiary study for students from low-income households around the South Deep mine in Gauteng. The South Deep Education Trust started this programme in 2015, and Tshikululu Social Investments runs the 2027 call. Applications close on 6 November 2026.
Move quickly if you qualify. The trust has a limited number of bursaries, and it awards them to qualifying applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Funding Details
A successful application covers full tuition, on-campus or off-campus accommodation, textbooks and a laptop allowance. You also receive a monthly stipend for 10 months. Specialised courses such as dentistry, architecture and engineering may qualify for equipment, which the trust decides case by case.
Support goes beyond money, since the bursary includes personal development, mentorship and extra tutoring. The trust also encourages and supports recipients to give one week of vacation or volunteer work to their community each year. It does not describe this as a work-back.
The trust will not pay for a module that you repeat. So if you fail a module, you must cover that cost yourself.
Where You Can Study
You can study at any public university or public TVET college in South Africa. Grade 12 applicants must hold provisional acceptance for their first year of study. Private institutions do not fit this wording, so choose a public one if you hope to receive this award.
About South Deep Education Trust
About the South Deep Education Trust The South Deep Education Trust supports education in the communities around South Deep, a gold mine owned by Gold Fields near Westonaria in Gauteng. The trust works alongside the Sout…
View full provider profile →Fields of Study & Who Can Apply
The bursary serves people from the mine's host community and surrounding areas. The call gives Westonaria, Bekkersdal, Simunye, Poortjie, Borwa, Hillshaven and Zuurbekom as examples. Your household must earn R350,000 a year or less.
Field of study is open. Grade 12 applicants can choose a diploma or degree in any technical or non-technical field, so this bursary suits future accountants, teachers and nurses as well as engineers.
The trust excludes some people. Dependants of employees of Gold Fields, its divisions or its associated companies cannot apply. Dependants of the trustees of the South Deep Education and Community Trusts cannot apply either. Grade 12 applicants must also have no other bursary, scholarship or funding for their studies.
Current students qualify too, whether they apply for the first time or return as recipients, but the mark rules differ for each group.
Application Procedure
Read the official call, then register on the Tshikululu grant platform. Scroll down to the South Deep logo and click Start Application. Under Category, choose South Deep Trusts, then Bursary Programme, then Undergraduate. The trust rejects late or incomplete applications. For questions, email southdeepeducation@tshikululu.org.za, or call 011 544 0300 and press one.
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Questions about this application?
Contact South Deep Education Trust directly:
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does the South Deep bursary close?
It closes on 6 November 2026.
Which fields does it fund?
It accepts any technical or non-technical diploma or degree at a public institution.
Is there a work-back?
The call describes no work-back. It only encourages one week of community or vacation work each year.
