VerifiedComputer science is the general degree, usually a BSc, and it is the one most corporate bursaries name by default. If a call says “computer science or related”, this is the qualification it has in mind.
It is theory-first: algorithms, data structures, languages and systems, taught in a science faculty. That breadth is why it has the longest funder list of the five computing pages on this site, and why it is the safest choice if you do not yet know which part of the industry you want.
How it differs from the other four
- Computer engineering is an engineering degree accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa and leads to registration as a professional engineer. Computer science does not.
- Software engineering is narrower and more applied, and has a free coding academy route that computer science does not.
- Informatics and information systems sit in a commerce faculty and lead to business analysis rather than development.
- Information technology is mostly the diploma and BTech route at universities of technology and TVET colleges.
- Data science and statistics overlap computer science heavily at postgraduate level and have their own funders.
Bursaries for computer science
Everything below funds computer science. The technology companies close between August and November for the following year, while the government, SETA and municipal schemes often run into January.
Absa Fellowship/Scholarship Programme
Africa Wetu Foundation Bursary
Altech Bursary
AWS Skills Development Bursary
Barloworld Education Trust Bursary
Bell Equipment Bursary
Brand South Africa Bursary
Bushbuckridge Local Municipality Bursary
Chris Hani District Municipality Bursary
Cisco Charitable Foundation Trust Bursary
Education Empowerment and Development Fund (EEDF) Bursary
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Bursary
Energy Mobility Education Trust Scholarship
FirstRand Foundation Trust Bursary
Gauteng Department of e-Government Bursary
Gauteng Provincial Treasury Bursary
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Bursary
HP Inc Bursary
IDB Education Trust Bursary Loan
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Bursary
iSimangaliso Wetland Park Bursary
JSE Empowerment Fund (JEF) Bursary
Korbicom Education Trust Bursary
KwaZulu-Natal Government Bursaries
L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science South Africa Grant
Limpopo Provincial Treasury Bursary
National Research Foundation Bursary
Nestlés Future Talent Bursary
Old Mutual Imfundo Trust Scholarship
Palabora Mining Company Bursary
Public Investment Corporation (PIC) Bursary
Rio Tinto/ Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) Bursary
Saab Grintek Defence Bursary
Belgium Campus Merit and Top Achiever Awards
Schneider Electric Bursary
SIOC Community Development Trust (SIOC-cdt) Bursary
Thales Southern Africa Bursary
The Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme
Toyota South Africa Motors Bursary
Upstream Training Trust Bursary
Volkswagen Community Trust Bursary
W&RSETA Bursary