Bursaries that fund private colleges in South Africa do exist, but they work differently from the funding system most students are used to at public universities. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), which covers the majority of funded students in the country, does not fund private colleges at all. NSFAS support is limited to public universities and public TVET colleges, which means any student registered at a private college, private higher education institution, or private training academy needs to look elsewhere for financial assistance. This article sets out exactly which types of bursaries do fund private colleges, which organisations offer them, and what conditions typically apply.
Why NSFAS Does Not Cover Private Colleges
NSFAS is a government scheme funded through the Department of Higher Education and Training, and its mandate is legally restricted to public institutions. This includes the 26 public universities and the public TVET college network. Private colleges, even when fully accredited and registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training, fall outside this mandate, regardless of how similar their qualifications are to those offered at public institutions. A student who qualifies financially for NSFAS but chooses to study at a private college will not receive NSFAS funding for that choice, and switching from a public institution to a private one generally does not carry NSFAS funding across with it.
This is one of the most common points of confusion for students and parents researching funding options, since many assume that any accredited qualification automatically qualifies for state funding. In practice, funding for private college study comes from a separate set of sources, most of which are non-governmental.
Corporate and Sector Bursaries That Fund Private Colleges
Many large companies and industry bodies offer bursaries that are open to students at any accredited tertiary institution, public or private, provided the qualification is relevant to the company’s sector and fully registered. These bursaries typically prioritise scarce-skills fields such as accounting, engineering, information technology, and the sciences, but the exact list of eligible fields depends on the sponsoring company.
Corporate bursary providers in this category generally require proof that the institution and specific qualification are accredited with the relevant quality council, along with academic performance criteria and, in many cases, a signed agreement to work for the sponsoring company for a set period after graduation. Because these bursaries are funded by private companies rather than government, the company sets its own eligibility rules, and private college students are not automatically excluded the way they are under NSFAS.
Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) also fund some study at private institutions, particularly through discretionary grants and learnership programmes linked to specific industries. SETA funding is typically channelled through accredited training providers rather than paid directly to individual students, so a private college that holds SETA accreditation in a relevant field can be a legitimate route into this kind of funding, though availability depends heavily on the specific SETA and the qualification involved.
Professional Body Bursaries for Private College Qualifications
Certain professional qualifications are studied primarily, or exclusively, through private institutions rather than public universities, and the professional bodies overseeing these qualifications often run their own bursary schemes as a result. This applies strongly to fields such as chartered accounting-related qualifications and management accounting qualifications, where the professional body itself has a direct interest in supporting new entrants into the profession.
Bursaries in this category typically fund tuition fees, study material, and sometimes examination fees, with the expectation that the student will pursue full membership or certification with that professional body after completing their studies. Because these qualifications are frequently delivered through private colleges rather than public universities, the bursary schemes tied to them are structured from the outset to support private college study.
Bursaries in the Health and Emergency Care Sector
Several private healthcare providers run bursary programmes specifically for students studying health-related and emergency care qualifications through accredited private colleges, since these fields often rely on private institutions for practical, clinically supervised training. Programmes in nursing, pharmacy assistance, and Emergency Medical Care are commonly funded this way, since some of these qualifications are delivered by private healthcare education providers operating their own accredited colleges rather than by public universities.
Bursaries of this type typically come with a work-back obligation, meaning the student agrees to work for the sponsoring healthcare provider for a set number of years after qualifying, in exchange for having their tuition and, in some cases, accommodation and living costs covered during their studies. This structure benefits both the student, who studies without upfront cost, and the sponsoring organisation, which secures trained staff in a field where skilled workers are in high demand.
Internal Bursaries Offered by Private Colleges Themselves
A number of private colleges run their own internal bursary and scholarship programmes, funded by the institution rather than by an external company or government body. These are generally smaller in value than large corporate bursaries and are often aimed at specific groups of applicants, such as top-performing matriculants, students with siblings or family members already studying at the same institution, or students who excel in sport or another extramural activity.
Internal bursaries at private colleges are usually limited strictly to that institution, meaning the funding cannot be transferred if the student later decides to study elsewhere. Application windows for these bursaries are typically shorter and more tightly scheduled than for large corporate bursaries, often opening and closing months ahead of the academic year, so students interested in this option need to apply well in advance rather than waiting until close to registration.
Comparing Funding Sources for Private College Study
The table below summarises the main categories of funding available to private college students in South Africa, since understanding which category a bursary falls into helps applicants target the right options rather than applying broadly and hoping for the best.
| Funding Source | Covers Private Colleges? | Typical Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| NSFAS | No | Public universities and public TVET colleges only |
| Corporate bursaries (banks, mining, energy, tech companies) | Often, if accredited | Field-specific, academic performance, sometimes a work-back agreement |
| SETA discretionary grants and learnerships | Sometimes | Funding usually channelled through accredited training providers in a specific sector |
| Professional body bursaries | Yes, in relevant fields | Tied to a specific professional qualification and future membership |
| Healthcare sector bursaries | Yes, for health and emergency care fields | Work-back obligation with the sponsoring healthcare provider |
| Private college internal bursaries | Yes, but limited to that institution | Merit, financial need, or family connection to the college; funding non-transferable |
| Bank and private student loans | Yes, but this is financing, not a bursary | Repayable, may require a surety or credit assessment |
Bank and private student loan products, while widely used to fund private college study, are not bursaries in the traditional sense, since the amount borrowed must be repaid with interest after graduation. Students should be clear about this distinction, since some marketing material blurs the line between a bursary, which does not need to be repaid, and a student loan, which does.
What to Check Before Applying to a Bursary as a Private College Student
Because private colleges are not automatically covered by most government or general bursary schemes, a student applying for funding to study at a private institution should confirm a few specific things before applying.
- Confirm that the bursary explicitly allows private institutions. Some bursary terms are written broadly enough to cover any accredited institution, while others specify public universities only, even without stating this clearly upfront.
- Confirm the private college’s accreditation status. Most bursary providers require proof that the institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training and that the specific qualification is accredited by the relevant quality council, since an unaccredited qualification will disqualify an application regardless of the bursary’s general terms.
- Check for a work-back or service obligation. Many bursaries that fund private college study, particularly in health and technical fields, require the recipient to work for the sponsoring organisation for a fixed period after graduating, and this condition should be understood clearly before accepting the funding.
- Apply directly to the college for internal options. Because private college bursaries are managed internally, students should contact the specific institution’s financial aid or bursary office directly rather than relying only on general online bursary listings, since internal opportunities are not always advertised as widely as corporate bursaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does NSFAS fund any private colleges in South Africa?
No. NSFAS funding is legally limited to public universities and public TVET colleges, so students at private colleges do not qualify for NSFAS funding regardless of financial need.
Can corporate bursaries be used at private colleges?
Many can, provided the private college and the specific qualification are accredited and the field of study matches what the sponsoring company funds. This is not universal, so each bursary’s terms need to be checked individually.
Are private college bursaries harder to find than public university bursaries?
They are generally less numerous, since most large-scale government funding excludes private institutions. However, corporate, professional body, healthcare sector, and institution-specific bursaries provide meaningful funding options for students who research and apply early.