BankSETA Letsema Learnership 2027: How to Apply

Key facts

Status
Check with the provider
Provider
BANKSETA
Study level
Undergraduate
Academic year
2027
Last checked
September 2026

BankSETA and its partner banks recruit for Letsema mainly between July and September for programmes starting the following year, with some intakes opening at other times.

Thabo MokoenaWritten by Thabo MokoenaSenior Education Editor
Naledi KhumaloReviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BankSETA) runs the Letsema learnership to bring unemployed Matriculants into banking. Learners spend 12 months at a bank or microfinance institution, earn a monthly stipend and finish with a National Certificate in Banking Service Advice at NQF level 5. It is one of the largest entry routes into the sector for school leavers without a degree.

About the Letsema Learnership

  • Duration: 12 months of work-based training at a bank or microfinance institution.
  • Qualification: National Certificate in Banking Service Advice, NQF level 5.
  • Stipend: about R3 500 a month in the 2026 intake, varying by host.
  • Skills: customer service, banking operations, financial administration, compliance and professional communication.
  • Many hosts recruit permanent staff from their Letsema learners, although a job is not guaranteed.

Letsema Learnership eligibility requirements

  • South African citizen, unemployed.
  • Matric certificate meeting the entry requirements for an NQF level 5 qualification.
  • Usually aged 18 to 35 and not previously enrolled in a learnership in the same field.
  • Preference for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with disabilities.

How to apply for the Letsema Learnership

  1. Check bankseta.org.za/youth-programmes and the careers pages of the major banks for a Letsema intake.
  2. Complete the online application for the host you choose and upload a certified ID, Matric certificate, CV and proof of residence.
  3. If shortlisted, complete the assessments and interview. Successful learners sign a learnership agreement before the programme starts.

Letsema Learnership closing date

Set by each intake. Recruitment for 2027 is expected between July and September 2026, with further intakes during the year.

Contact details

Graduates should look at the BankSETA Kuyasa learnership instead, and school leavers can also try the retail learnerships and Pick n Pay learnerships.

FAQs

1. When does the Letsema learnership open for 2027? +
BankSETA and its partner banks recruit for Letsema between July and September for programmes starting the following year, and some intakes open at other times. No 2027 closing date had been published when we checked; watch bankseta.org.za/youth-programmes and the banks' careers pages.
2. What is Letsema? +
BankSETA's flagship learnership for unemployed Matriculants: 12 months of work-based training at a bank leading to the National Certificate in Banking Service Advice at NQF level 5, with a monthly stipend.
3. How much is the stipend? +
About R3 500 a month in the 2026 intake, varying by host bank.
4. Who qualifies? +
Unemployed South African citizens with Matric who meet the entry requirements for the NQF level 5 qualification, usually aged 18 to 35, with no previous learnership in the same field. Preference goes to youth from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with disabilities.
5. How do I apply? +
Through the BankSETA youth programmes page or the recruiting bank's careers portal when an intake opens, with a certified ID, Matric certificate, CV and proof of residence.
6. What is Kuyasa? +
BankSETA's sister programme for graduates, which places unemployed degree and diploma holders in banks for 12 months. Letsema is for Matriculants; Kuyasa is for graduates.
Update note (checked September 2026): BankSETA and its partner banks recruit for Letsema mainly between July and September for programmes starting the following year, with some intakes opening at other times. No 2027 closing date had been published when we checked. Watch the BankSETA youth programmes page and the banks’ careers pages, and apply as soon as an intake appears, because they close once enough applications are received. The details below are from the 2026 intake.

Checked the requirements and closing date? Apply directly with the provider.

Apply on the provider’s website

About BANKSETA

Sector Education and Training Authority

BANKSETA, the Banking Sector Education and Training Authority, looks after skills development for banks and the wider microfinance sector. The Skills Development Act created a levy-grant scheme and 21 sector-specific SETAs to run it, and BANKSETA administers the…

Read the full BANKSETA profile →
Address
Eco Origin Office Park, Building C2, 349 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Eco Park Estate, Centurion, 0144
Phone
011 805 9661
Email
info@bankseta.org.za
Website
bankseta.org.za

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