TVET Funding In South Africa. Technical and Vocational Education and Training courses are vocational or occupational by nature. Meaning that, student receives education and training with a view towards a specific range of jobs, employment or entrepreneurial possibilities.

TVET Funding In South Africa

Why study at a TVET college?

A TVET qualification will equip you with vocational & occupational skills that you will need to find employment in South Africa. Also, it will enable your entrepreneurial potential to start new ventures. South Africa is in shortage of skills in engineering, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, etc. that will build a strong economy; and the TVETs are the vehicle to a new skills revolution.

What courses are offered at TVET colleges?

Public TVET Colleges offer a very wide range of courses/programmes that have been developed to respond to the scarce skills needed by employers. Courses vary in duration from a short course of a few hours to formal diploma courses of three years.

Naturally the costs of the courses also vary considerably but it is important to remember that Department of Higher Education and Training programmes are subsidised by 80% of the delivery cost and for the remaining 20% that would be paid by the student, many full bursaries are available.

NSFAS funds Ministerial approved programmes and students must refer to each college, however the generally funded programmes are below:

Engineering Studies – (National Certificate -Vocational) NQF levels 2-4 & Engineering studies – Report 191 N1-N6
Engineering and Related Design; Electrical Infrastructure; Civil Engineering Construction and Information Technology & Computer Science
Business & Utility Studies (National Certificate – Vocational) NQF levels 2-4 & Report 191 N1-N6
Management; Marketing; Finance; Office Administration; Economics & Accounting; Education & Development; Hospitality; Tourism; Safety in Society and Transport & Logistics
Pre-Learning Programme (PLP) funding through NSFAS

Click here to view a list of all TVET colleges

Qualification Criteria

Only South African citizens are eligible for this bursary scheme;
A student must be registered or intending to register on a PLP, NC(V) or Report 191 programme at any of the fifty (50) public TVET Colleges in South Africa;
Must be in need of financial assistance (NSFAS will determine whether or not a student meets the financial eligibility criteria);
Returning students must demonstrate proven and accepted academic performance (academically deserving) in line with the College’s progression policy or the progression prescriptions of the Bursary Rules and Guidelines (whichever is higher);
Must not be enrolling for a qualification that duplicates previous learning that was state-funded; and
Applicants will qualify if they fall within the maximum threshold of up to R350,000 of combined gross family income per annum and are admitted/received a firm offer for enrolment in a College.

Application Cycles

National Certificate Vocation (NC(v)) , Semester 1 and Trimester 1 – Annual – online application and walk in assistive capture application at the beginning of each year
Trimester 2 & 3 as per DHET calendar, in May and September respectively , also Walk in assistive capture application
Semester 2 June – July walk in, assistive capture application