BANKSETA UKZN Student Debt Fund 2027: How to Apply

Keagan HendricksWritten by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)
Naledi KhumaloReviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

BANKSETA is the Sector Education and Training Authority for banking and microfinance. Among its projects is a historical debt fund at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) that clears outstanding fees for students in the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, so that they can register for the next year or collect their qualification. It is not a conventional bursary: it pays existing debt rather than future fees.

About the BANKSETA UKZN Outstanding Student Debt Fund

The fund settles outstanding fees owed to UKZN by eligible students. The amount paid is agreed individually with each successful applicant and depends on the debt and the funds available. Selection is based on academic merit and financial need, and there are no contractual or work-back obligations.

Eligible qualifications

Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, including:

  • Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, Finance or Economics.
  • Bachelor of Business Science.
  • Postgraduate diplomas and Honours degrees in accounting, finance and economics.
  • Master’s degrees in accounting, finance, economics and maritime studies.

Eligibility requirements

  • South African citizen.
  • Under 35 years old when applying.
  • Registered, or intending to register, at UKZN for one of the qualifications above.
  • An average of at least 60% in both semesters of the previous academic year.
  • Outstanding fees owed to UKZN.

Previous recipients may reapply.

How to apply

  1. Confirm with the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance that a round is open, and get the online application link.
  2. Prepare certified copies of your ID and Matric certificate, your full academic record on UKZN letterhead, and your current UKZN fee statement on letterhead.
  3. Submit the online application before the closing date. Past rounds closed at midnight and late applications were rejected.

Closing date

Past rounds closed in late January or February, just before registration. No 2027 closing date has been published.

Contact details

  • Ms Nonhlanhla Mkhize, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, UKZN
  • Email: MkhizeN35@ukzn.ac.za

BANKSETA also funds bursaries at other universities through its youth development programme. See our commerce bursaries list for those and for other accounting and finance funders.

FAQs

1. Is the BANKSETA UKZN debt fund open for 2027? +
No 2027 round has been announced. The fund has run in some years and not others; the last widely published round closed on 20 January 2023, with a later round advertised for 2026. Contact UKZN's School of Accounting, Economics and Finance to ask whether it will run for 2027.
2. What does it pay for? +
Outstanding student debt owed to UKZN by students in the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, so they can register or graduate. The amount is agreed individually with each successful applicant.
3. Who qualifies? +
South African citizens under 35, registered or intending to register at UKZN for an accounting, finance, economics or maritime studies qualification, with at least 60% in both semesters of the previous year and outstanding UKZN fees.
4. Is there a work-back? +
No. The fund has no contractual or work obligations.
5. Can I apply again? +
Yes. Previous recipients may reapply if they still meet the criteria.
6. What documents are needed? +
Certified ID, certified Matric certificate, full academic record on UKZN letterhead, and your UKZN fee statement on letterhead.
7. Who do I contact? +
Ms Nonhlanhla Mkhize at UKZN: MkhizeN35@ukzn.ac.za.
Update note (checked September 2026): the fund has run in some years and not others. Rounds were advertised for the 2023 academic year (closing 20 January 2023) and again for 2026 (closing in February 2026). No 2027 round has been announced. Students with UKZN debt should ask the school directly in December 2026 or January 2027 whether the fund will run again.

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