Key facts
- Status
- Applications closed Closed 16 January 2026
- Provider
- Free State Government
- Study level
- TVET / college
- Academic year
- 2027
- Last checked
- September 2026
The 2026 cycle closed on 16 January 2026 at 16:00.
VerifiedThe Free State Provincial Government runs one of the larger provincial bursary schemes in South Africa. It is managed by the Office of the Premier and funds full-time study in scarce and critical skills at universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges anywhere in the country. Since it started, the scheme has funded more than 6 000 students, many of whom now work in the province as nurses, engineers, social workers, teachers and veterinarians.
Free State Government Bursary eligibility requirements
To be considered you must meet all of the following:
- Be a South African citizen.
- Live in the Free State province.
- Be between 18 and 35 years old.
- Be in Matric, have completed Matric, or already be studying at an accredited South African institution.
- Come from a household with a combined income of less than R600 000 a year.
- Not be receiving any other bursary, sponsorship or NSFAS funding.
- Study full-time in one of the scarce-skill fields listed below.
Preference goes to financially needy students with strong academic results, orphans, top achievers and students with disabilities.
Fields of study funded
The scheme only funds qualifications on the province’s scarce and critical skills list. For the 2026 cycle the list included:
- Health: medicine (MBChB), nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, dietetics, clinical psychology.
- Engineering and built environment: civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical and other engineering disciplines, construction management.
- Commerce and technology: accounting, economics, data science, information technology, cyber security.
- Social services: social work, psychology.
- Education: teaching qualifications in mathematics, science, technology and other shortage subjects.
- Agriculture and agricultural sciences.
What the bursary covers
- Registration fees each semester or year.
- Tuition for all registered modules.
- Residence and meal fees.
- Books and study material.
- Special equipment required by the course, and assistive devices for students with disabilities.
The bursary is renewed each year if you pass. Failing modules can lead to the bursary being withdrawn.
How to apply for the Free State Government Bursary
- Get the official application form. It is published on the Free State Online website (fsonline.fs.gov.za) and can also be collected from the Office of the Premier, Thusong Service Centres and the financial aid offices of the province’s universities.
- Complete the form in full and attach certified copies of: your ID, your Matric certificate or latest results, proof of acceptance from the institution, proof of residence, your parents’ or guardians’ IDs (or death certificates), and proof of household income such as payslips, a SASSA letter or an affidavit.
- Hand-deliver the application to the Bursary Unit at reception, FSTDI Brahman Building, 124 Nelson Mandela Drive, Westdene, Bloemfontein, 9301. Applications are not accepted by email.
- Submit before the closing date and time. The 2026 cycle closed at 16:00 on 16 January 2026 and late applications were not considered.
Free State Government Bursary closing date
The 2026 closing date was 16 January 2026. The 2027 closing date has not been published; expect mid-January 2027. Because the scheme requires a physical form and hand delivery, gather your certified documents before the form is released so you are not caught out by the short application window.
Contact details
- Email: bursariesfs@fspremier.gov.za
- Bursary unit: Mr ME Makhetha 065 742 5935, Ms NB Thekiso 060 533 4702, Ms MC Motaung 065 742 6737 (07:30 to 16:00, weekdays)
- Office of the Premier switchboard: 051 405 5799
- Postal address: Free State Office of the Premier, Bursary Section, Private Bag X20565, Bloemfontein, 9300
- Website: Free State Online bursaries page
Other funding for Free State students
Students who do not fit the scarce-skills list, or whose household earns under R350 000, should apply to NSFAS as well; the two cannot be held together, but you can accept whichever is awarded. See our government bursaries section for the other provincial schemes and national department bursaries.
