AFDA, the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance, trains much of the country’s film and television industry from campuses in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha. Its Postgraduate Honours Development Bursary exists for motion picture students who finish a degree and cannot afford the honours year that follows.
About the AFDA Postgraduate Honours Bursary
- Funds the BA Honours in Motion Picture.
- Covers the tuition fees of the course for one full year of study.
- Established by the AFDA Board of Education for motion picture students without funding for the honours year.
Eligibility requirements
- A current third-year AFDA student, a previous AFDA BA graduate, or an outside applicant admitted through recognition of prior learning.
- Accepted for the postgraduate Bachelor of Arts in Motion Picture.
- Able to show that you lack funding for the honours year.
- Willing to sign the bursary offer letter and the Spirit of Agreement, which commits you to work back the bursary for one year after completing your studies.
How to apply
- Apply for the postgraduate Bachelor of Arts qualification online at afda.co.za/apply.
- Once your course application is submitted, open the bursary application and complete it.
- Submit before the closing date. Successful applicants sign the offer letter and the Spirit of Agreement.
Closing date
30 September for studies beginning the following year.
Contact details
- AFDA: www.afda.co.za, or your nearest campus
Film students should also see the NFVF bursary, the Netflix scholarship and the funders on our postgraduate bursaries page.
FAQs
1. When does the AFDA honours bursary close for 2027? +
AFDA has used a 30 September closing date for studies beginning the following year, so expect the 2027 round to have closed on 30 September 2026. Contact your nearest AFDA campus to confirm.
2. What is AFDA? +
The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance, a private higher education institution with campuses in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha.
3. What does the bursary fund? +
The BA Honours in Motion Picture, covering the tuition fees of the course for one full year of study. It was created by the AFDA Board of Education for motion picture students who cannot fund their honours year.
4. Who qualifies? +
Current third-year AFDA students, previous AFDA BA graduates, and outside applicants admitted through recognition of prior learning.
5. What are the conditions? +
Recipients sign a bursary offer letter and a Spirit of Agreement, which commits them to work back the bursary for one year after completing their studies.
6. How do I apply? +
Apply for the postgraduate Bachelor of Arts qualification online at afda.co.za/apply. Once your course application is submitted, you can apply for the bursary.
Update note (checked September 2026): AFDA has used a 30 September closing date for studies beginning the following year, so the 2027 round would have closed on 30 September 2026. Contact your nearest AFDA campus to confirm, and watch afda.co.za for the 2028 round.
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