JSE

About the JSE

The JSE, formerly the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, is South Africa's main securities exchange. Companies list their shares there, and investors buy and sell them. The JSE also runs markets for bonds, derivatives and other financial products, and it is itself a listed company.

A business of this kind needs accountants, actuaries, economists, data analysts and technology specialists. Its bursary scheme is built around those fields.

How the JSE supports students

The JSE supports students through the JSE Empowerment Fund, known as JEF. The JSE announced on its social media channels that the fund supports previously disadvantaged students who are in their second or third year of an undergraduate degree, or who study at honours level.

Third-party listings name accounting, actuarial science, computer science, data analytics, economics, finance, informatics, information technology and mathematics as eligible fields. You can read what we found on our JSE Empowerment Fund Bursary page.

The fund exists to widen access to careers in finance and technology. It does this by paying for study, so a student who qualifies can focus on their marks.

What to know before applying

The JSE's website blocked automated readers when we researched this profile, so we relied on the JSE's own announcement and on third-party listings. The listings agree on several points. Applicants must be South African citizens from a designated group, and the listings quote a minimum average of 70%.

They also mention a household income limit. One listing says the combined income of parents or caregivers should not be more than R650,000 per year. Another gives a different figure for the limit, so check the current rule on the JSE's page before you decide that you do or do not qualify.

Applications are online, and the listings tell students to look at the careers section of the JSE website. Documents usually include a certified ID, transcripts, proof of registration, proof of household income and a signed affidavit. A listing gives 31 October 2026 as the closing date of the latest round, which means it has passed.

Plan ahead for the next round. Gather your documents in the middle of the year, keep your marks high, and apply as soon as the JSE opens the window.

Markets can seem remote, but the exchange touches many ordinary lives through pension funds and savings. Students who understand that link, and who can explain a basic market idea clearly, tend to make better impressions. Consider reading the exchange's educational material before you write your motivation.