CETA Thapelo Madibeng Bursary 2027: How to Apply

Key facts

Status: Check with the provider
Provider: CETA
Field of study: Construction, Architecture, Construction and Building, Land Surveying
Study level: Postgraduate, Undergraduate
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: September 2026

No 2027 call had been published when we checked.

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

CETA, the skills authority for construction, runs the Thapelo Madibeng Bursary Scheme for unemployed students in built-environment fields, from diplomas to PhDs.

About the Thapelo Madibeng Bursary

Fields: civil engineering, construction management, quantity surveying, architecture and project management.
Undergraduate to PhD level.
Covers tuition, books, accommodation and meals.

Eligibility requirements

Unemployed South African citizen.
Studying a built-environment qualification.
At a public higher education institution in South Africa.
Good academic results.

How to apply

Watch ceta.org.za and thapelomadibengbursary.co.za for the 2027 call.
Prepare your ID, results, proof of registration and proof of unemployment.
Apply through the portal before the closing date.

Closing date

January 2026 opening for the last round. No 2027 date announced.

Contact details

CETA: ceta.org.za

FAQs

1. When does the Thapelo Madibeng bursary close for 2027? +

No 2027 call had been published when we checked. The 2026 applications opened in January 2026, so expect the next call around January 2027 on the CETA and Thapelo Madibeng bursary websites.

2. What is it? +

The Construction Education and Training Authority's bursary scheme, named after the late CETA employee Thapelo Madibeng.

3. Who qualifies? +

Unemployed South Africans studying built-environment qualifications at public higher education institutions.

4. Which fields? +

Civil engineering, construction management, quantity surveying, architecture, project management and other built-environment disciplines, from undergraduate to PhD.

5. What does it cover? +

Tuition, prescribed textbooks, accommodation and meals, sometimes transport, and a research allowance for master's and PhD students.

6. How do I apply? +

Through the bursary application portal linked from ceta.org.za when the call opens.

Update note (checked September 2026): CETA had not published a 2027 Thapelo Madibeng call on its own website when we checked. Note that thapelomadibengbursary.co.za is an unrelated job-listings blog, not CETA, so apply only through ceta.org.za. Source: ceta.org.za.

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

Apply on the provider’s website

About CETA

Sector Education and Training Authority (construction)

The Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) facilitates and funds skills development for South Africa's construction workforce. CETA describes its purpose as positioning skills as a foundation for economic development and empowerment in construction. Registered nameConstruction Education and…

Read the full CETA profile →

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.