Key facts
- Status
- Applications closed Closed 31 July 2026
- Provider
- JB Marks Education Trust
- Study level
- Undergraduate, Postgraduate
- Academic year
- 2027
- Last checked
- September 2026
The trust usually opens applications in March and closes them on 1 July.
VerifiedClosed · applications closed on 31 July 2026 The trust takes applications through its online portal at applications.jbmarksedutrust.co.za; the 2027 round closed on 31 July 2026. Latest update ↓
The JB Marks Education Trust Fund was set up in 1997 by the National Union of Mineworkers to open education to its members and their families. Named after the trade unionist John Beaver Marks and funded mainly through mineworkers’ investment dividends, it awards around 250 bursaries a year.
About the JB Marks Education Trust Fund Bursary
- About 200 undergraduate and 50 postgraduate bursaries a year.
- Priority for studies linked to the construction, mining and energy sectors.
- Postgraduate funding is limited to union members who have not had earlier bursary support.
Eligibility requirements
- A member of the National Union of Mineworkers, or the child or spouse of a member.
- Studying, or accepted, at a recognised public university, university of technology or college in South Africa.
- Not receiving funding from any other source.
How to apply
- Open the application portal on the trust’s website at jbmarksedutrust.co.za when applications open.
- Upload a certified ID, certified recent results, the member’s certified union card and latest payslip, your acceptance letter, and proof of dependency if surnames differ.
- Submit before the closing date.
Closing date
1 July in recent rounds. The 2027 dates had not been published when we checked.
Contact details
- Telephone: 011 492 0601
- General queries: info@jbmarksedutrust.co.za
- Portal problems: applications@jbmarksedutrust.co.za
Mining families should also see the Mining Qualifications Authority bursary, the NUMSA bursary and our mining engineering bursaries page.
FAQs
1. When does the JB Marks bursary open for 2027? +
The trust usually opens applications in March and closes them on 1 July. No 2027 dates had been published when we checked, so watch jbmarksedutrust.co.za from early 2027.
2. What is the JB Marks Education Trust Fund? +
A trust formed in 1997 by the National Union of Mineworkers, named after activist John Beaver Marks and funded mainly by dividends from the Mineworkers Investment Company. It has supported more than 2 000 beneficiaries.
3. Who qualifies? +
Members of the National Union of Mineworkers and their dependants, meaning children and spouses, studying at a recognised public university, university of technology or college in South Africa, who receive no other funding.
4. How many bursaries are awarded? +
About 200 undergraduate and 50 postgraduate bursaries a year. Postgraduate funding is limited to union members who have not had earlier bursary support.
5. Are there conditions? +
Yes. The bursary cannot pay off old study debt, changing course or institution ends it, taking other funding cancels it, and students who drop out within six months must repay it.
6. How do I apply? +
Online through the application portal on the trust's own website, with a certified ID, certified recent results, the union member's certified membership card and latest payslip, an acceptance letter, and proof of dependency if surnames differ.
Update note (checked September 2026): Applications for the 2027 academic year closed on 31 July 2026, according to the trust’s online application portal (applications.jbmarksedutrust.co.za). Source: applications.jbmarksedutrust.co.za.
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