Key facts
- Status
- Applications closed Closed 20 December 2024
- Provider
- Department of Mineral Resources
- Field of study
- Engineering, Chemical Engineering
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Academic year
- 2027
- Last checked
- September 2026
The 2025 round closed on 20 December 2024, and the 2023 round on 30 November 2022.
VerifiedThe national mineral resources department, long known as the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), funds school leavers from poor and rural homes to study mining and energy engineering, geology and metallurgy. The scheme has a strong preference for women, hence its “Girl Learner” application address, and for first-year students entering university.
About the Department of Mineral Resources Bursary
- Fields: mining, chemical, electrical (heavy current), mechanical, metallurgical and nuclear engineering, geology and related mining and energy disciplines.
- Level: undergraduate degrees and diplomas at South African universities and universities of technology.
- Covers full study costs.
DMRE Bursary eligibility requirements
- South African citizen under 35, currently unemployed.
- In Matric or with Matric, with at least level 6 in Mathematics and Physical Science.
- Studying, or accepted, full-time at a South African university or university of technology in a listed field.
- Financial need and a disadvantaged or rural background.
- Preference for first-year students, women and people with disabilities.
How to apply for the DMRE Bursary
- Download the application form from dmr.gov.za when the call opens.
- Attach certified copies of your ID, Matric results or certificate, latest academic transcript, proof of acceptance or registration, your parents’ or guardians’ IDs, proof of income and proof of residence.
- Email it to the address in the advert with the year’s subject line (the last call used GirlLearnerBursary@dmre.gov.za and “DMRE Bursary 2025”), or post or hand-deliver it to the head office at Trevenna Campus, 70 Meintjies Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria.
DMRE Bursary closing date
The last confirmed closing date was 20 December 2024. Expect December 2026 for the 2027 academic year.
Contact details
- Ms Morongwe Madisha: 012 406 7564
- Ms Olga Sedibe: 012 406 7529
- Website: www.dmr.gov.za
Mining students should also apply to the Council for Geoscience bursary, the Mintek bursary and the funders on our mining engineering bursaries page.
FAQs
1. When does the DMRE bursary close for 2027? +
The 2025 round closed on 20 December 2024 and the 2023 round on 30 November 2022. No 2027 call had been published when we checked. Expect it in November 2026 with a closing date in December 2026, on the department's website and in Vuk'uzenzele.
2. Which department runs it now? +
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy was split in 2024 into the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) and the Department of Electricity and Energy. The bursary sits with the mineral resources side, so check dmr.gov.za for the current advert and email address.
3. Which fields? +
Undergraduate degrees and diplomas in mining, chemical, electrical (heavy current), mechanical, metallurgical and nuclear engineering, geology and about nine related mining and energy disciplines.
4. What does it cover? +
Full undergraduate funding at a South African university or university of technology.
5. Who qualifies? +
Unemployed South African citizens under 35, in Matric or with Matric, with at least level 6 in Mathematics and Physical Science, financial need and a disadvantaged or rural background. First-year applicants, women and people with disabilities get preference.
6. How do I apply? +
Email the department's form with certified copies of your ID, Matric results, latest transcript, proof of acceptance or registration, your parents' IDs, proof of income and proof of residence to the address in the advert (GirlLearnerBursary@dmre.gov.za in the last call), or post or hand-deliver it to the Pretoria head office.
Update note (checked September 2026): the 2025 round closed on 20 December 2024, and the 2023 round on 30 November 2022. No 2027 call had been published when we checked. Since 2024 the department has been split into the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) and the Department of Electricity and Energy, and the bursary sits with the mineral resources side. Expect the 2027 call in November 2026 with a December 2026 closing date, on dmr.gov.za and in Vuk’uzenzele. The details below are from the last published call.