BMW Bursary 2027, Requirements & Application

Key facts

Status: Check with the provider
Provider: BMW
Field of study: Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Study level: Undergraduate
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: September 2026

BMW opens student applications between August and November each year and does not always publish a fixed closing date.

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

BMW Group South Africa has built cars at its Rosslyn plant outside Pretoria since 1973 and now produces the X3 there for export. Its bursary funds engineering students from second year onwards, brings them to the plant for paid vacation work and feeds the best of them into the BMW graduate programme. It is one of the more selective motor industry bursaries, with a 70% academic bar.

About the BMW Bursary

Fields: industrial engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.
Covers registration, tuition and examination fees, prescribed textbooks and accommodation.
Includes paid vacation work at the Rosslyn plant, individual projects and engagement with BMW associates.
Bursars may be invited into the BMW South Africa graduate programme after graduating; employment obligations may apply under the bursary contract.

BMW Bursary eligibility requirements

South African citizen with a Matric certificate.
Completed at least the first year of a listed engineering degree at a recognised South African university, studying full-time.
An overall average of 70% or higher.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.

How to apply for the BMW Bursary

Open the student opportunities page at bmwgroup.jobs/za and select the bursary listing.
Create a profile on the BMW Group careers portal and upload a cover letter, CV, certified ID and Matric certificate, full tertiary academic transcripts and a motivation letter.
Submit before the listing closes. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed; if you have not heard back within 30 days of the deadline, the application was unsuccessful.

BMW Bursary closing date

Not fixed. Applications open between August and November each year; apply as soon as the 2027 listing appears.

Contact details

Email: careers.bmwza@bmw.co.za
BMW South Africa customer line: 0800 600 555

Motor industry students should also apply to the Toyota South Africa Motors bursary, the Mercedes-Benz bursary and the Ford bursary.

FAQs

1. When does the BMW bursary close for 2027? +

BMW South Africa opens student applications between August and November each year and does not always publish a fixed closing date. Check the BMW Group student opportunities page now and apply as soon as the 2027 bursary is listed.

2. What is the BMW bursary? +

Funding from BMW Group South Africa, which builds the X3 at its Rosslyn plant near Pretoria, for engineering students who will do paid vacation work at the plant and may join the BMW graduate programme.

3. Which fields? +

Industrial, electrical and mechanical engineering at recognised South African universities.

4. What does it cover? +

Registration, tuition and examination fees, prescribed textbooks and accommodation, plus paid vacation work, individual projects and engagement with BMW engineers.

5. Who qualifies? +

South African citizens with Matric who have completed at least their first year of a listed engineering degree, are studying full-time with a 70% or higher average and have strong communication skills.

6. How do I apply? +

Through the BMW Group careers portal with a cover letter, CV, certified ID and Matric certificate, full academic transcripts and a motivation letter. If you have not heard back within 30 days of the deadline, the application was unsuccessful.

Update note (checked September 2026): BMW’s South African student opportunities page lists no bursary with a closing date; it says student applications are accepted throughout the year through its Job Finder. Source: bmwgroup.jobs.

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

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Student funding in numbers

2025811 011students funded by NSFAS580 000 at universities, 231 000 at TVET colleges, on a budget of R48.7 billion.

20261 026 091students approved for NSFAS funding609 403 first-year applicants qualified and 416 688 continuing students met the progression criteria, out of 893 847 applications.

2027 projectedR53.4bnbudgeted for NSFASThe allocation rises from R48.7 billion in 2025 to R51 billion in 2026 and R53.4 billion in 2027. Student numbers for 2027 are not published yet.

Figures from the Minister of Higher Education’s Budget Vote of 3 July 2025 and the NSFAS statement of 2 January 2026. NSFAS is the largest funder, not the only one – we track the rest.