Gauteng Dept of Infrastructure Development

About the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development

The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development is the provincial body that plans, builds and maintains public infrastructure. Its projects include schools, hospitals, clinics and government buildings. These facilities support daily services for millions of people in Gauteng. The department's offices are in central Johannesburg.

Because the department delivers so many construction projects, it needs engineers, architects, quantity surveyors and project managers. Qualified professionals are not always easy to find. For that reason, the department runs a bursary programme to build skills in the built environment.

How the department supports students

Its bursary helps deserving students who excel academically and want a career in engineering or the built environment. Past calls listed civil and structural, electrical and mechanical engineering at BEng, BSc or BTech level. They also listed architecture, quantity surveying, construction management and interior design. Supply chain management at BCom level has been included too.

Funding has covered registration, tuition, prescribed books and study material. Accommodation costs may also be included. As a result, a successful student can focus on studying instead of fees. The exact value and conditions can differ by year, so read the current advert carefully.

Choose your field with care. Engineering and architecture usually demand strong mathematics results, while construction management and quantity surveying can suit students with other strengths. In every case, check the entry requirements of your chosen institution as well, because the bursary only helps once you have a place to study.

What to know before applying

Applicants must be South African citizens. They must be studying, or planning to study, full time in one of the listed fields, and they need acceptance at a recognised tertiary institution. Strong academic potential is expected. Learners still in matric can apply if they include a testimonial from the school principal.

Supporting documents in past calls included a certified ID copy, a certified matric certificate, certified qualifications, proof of acceptance or registration and a motivational letter. If you need accommodation funding, you may also need a quote and proof of parental income. Application forms were available from the department's offices or its website.

Earlier listings give 16 October as a yearly closing date. However, this date is not confirmed for the current cycle, so check the department's official announcement before you plan around it. Forms were handed in at a Johannesburg reception desk in the past, but submission methods may change.

The sources we reviewed did not confirm any work-back obligation. Even so, government bursaries sometimes include service conditions, so ask about them and read the bursary agreement before you sign.