The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative directed at addressing the scarcity of capable teachers in the country.

It offers monetary support to suitable students who prefer to go after a teaching qualification in areas which might be essential to the education sector.

The Funza Lushaka bursary is designed to promote teaching being a career by funding students to study to get a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a certain scarcity of teachers, for instance:

- Mathematics
- Physical Science
- Technology
- Languages (especially African languages)
- Early Childhood Development
- Foundation Phase Teaching

*** Who Qualifies For The Bursary?
To be eligible for the Funza Lushaka bursary, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. **Citizenship**: Must be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Academic Performance**:
- First-time university entrants must have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should show satisfactory academic overall performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must plan to educate in a precedence subject area as determined with the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants will have to demonstrate a commitment to teaching and an knowledge of its value in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than thirty years once they apply.

*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:

1. ** On-line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on line throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary process (within the Department of Basic Education's focused Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window normally opens towards the top from the academic 12 months and closes early the following year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes by means of a range procedure based on the need for teachers in particular subjects and places.

***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the following expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and foods
- Guides and learning resources
- A small stipend for other living costs

***Conditions for Working Back the Bursary:
Upon graduation, bursary recipients are required to:

1. **Teach in a Public School**: Recipients must work as teachers in a public school for the same number of years that they received the bursary. This is known as the "work-back" period.
2. **Service Placement**: The Department of Basic Education will place recipients in schools where their skills are needed, often in rural or underserved areas.
3. **Failure to Fulfill the Obligation**: If the click here recipient fails to meet the work-back obligation (e.g., not teaching after graduation or leaving before completing the required service), they will be required to repay the bursary amount in full, with interest.

***Renewal of the Bursary:
The bursary is renewable annually, provided the student continues to meet the academic and other requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.