City of Johannesburg Bursary 2026: Requirements & Application

The City of Johannesburg Bursary presents a valuable opportunity for students living in the city and pursuing their undergraduate studies in certain fields to overcome their financial setbacks and attend school free of charge.

About the Programme

The City of Johannesburg Municipal Government offers these bursaries to support students from their metropolitan area who have academic potential but financial need. 

It is part of their socio-economic development mandate to build local capacity in scarce skills.

Fields of Study Funded

CoJ funds undergraduate studies in many fields, including but not limited to:

1. Engineering (all disciplines)
2. Commerce, Finance, Accounting, Auditing, Entrepreneurship
3. Health (including Nursing)
4. Built Environment (Architecture, Construction, Quantity Surveying)
5. Legal / Law / Local Government Science / Political Science
6. Information Technology / GIS / Computer Science
7. Other fields like Marketing, Monitoring & Evaluation, Public Management, Environmental Management, Emergency Management Services, etc.

Benefits for Recipients

• Covers tuition and registration fees, prescribed textbooks and study material.
• The bursary amount is capped. For example, recent cycles show caps around R35 000 to R40 000 per academic year.
• Renewable annually, provided academic performance is satisfactory.

Eligibility Criteria

You must meet all of the following:

1. Be a South African citizen permanently residing in the Johannesburg metropolitan area.
2. Have completed Matric, or be in Matric.
3. Be accepted or provisionally accepted for full-time undergraduate study at a recognised public or private tertiary institution.
4. Study a qualification of at least one full academic year. The qualification must not be postgraduate.
5. Demonstrate academic merit.
6. Proof of residence in Johannesburg.
7. Meet financial need criteria; usually, you must not already receive another bursary for the same costs.

How to Apply

1. Download or obtain the official CoJ bursary application form from the City’s website (www.joburg.org.za) or from customer service / municipal offices.
2. Fill out the application and attach certified copies of required supporting documents (ID, Matric results, proof of residence, proof of household income, academic transcripts if already enrolled).
3. Submit via post or hand-deliver to:
   Metropolitan Centre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, or as specified in the bursary advert. PO Box may also be used.

Required Documents

You will typically need:

1. Certified copy of your South African ID document.
2. Certified Matric certificate or latest results.
3. Proof of residence in Johannesburg (utility bills, rates account, etc.) certified. 
4. Academic transcripts if already in tertiary study.
5. Proof of parents’ or guardians’ income (or affidavit if unemployed). Death certificate if applicable.

Closing Date

For the 2026 cycle, applications closed around 4 November 2026.

As of now, there is no officially published closing date for 2026 on CoJ’s official site.

Contact Details

For enquiries, contact the bursary office of the City of Johannesburg:

• Billy Baloyi: billyb@joburg.org.za
• Takalani Wakpo: TakalaniW@joburg.org.za