KMF High School Scholarship 2027: How to Apply

Key facts

Status
Applications closed Closed 17 May 2026
Provider
Kay Mason Foundation
Study level
High school
Academic year
2027
Last checked
September 2026

The current round closed on 17 May 2026, after an extension from 30 April.

Keagan HendricksWritten by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)
Naledi KhumaloReviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified
Closed · applications closed on 17 May 2026 Expect the next round to close around April or May 2027. Latest update ↓

The Kay Mason Foundation takes talented Cape Town learners from low-income families and places them in good high schools, then stays with them: tutoring, camps, career guidance and support after school. It is deliberately not a cheque. The foundation says openly that it does not pay the full cost, and that families remain part of the arrangement.

About the KMF Scholarship

  • Covers part of the cost of school fees, uniform, textbooks and transport.
  • Adds tutoring, school camps, extracurricular activities, support workshops, psychometric testing, career guidance and post-school support.
  • The foundation does not pay 100% of a scholar’s education costs.
  • Entry point: Grade 8, for learners in Grade 6 two years earlier.

Eligibility requirements

  • South African citizen in Grade 6, aged 10 to 13.
  • Living in the Western Cape within travelling distance of the KMF offices in Bellville, and able to commute there on Saturdays.
  • Combined gross household income of no more than R17 500 a month.
  • Demonstrated leadership potential and commitment to schooling.

How to apply

  1. Open the applications page at kmf.org.za/applications when the window opens.
  2. Upload a birth certificate, your parents’ or guardians’ IDs, your Grade 5 and Grade 6 reports, a handwritten essay about your family and living conditions, three months of bank statements and proof of income such as salary slips or tax returns.
  3. Submit before the closing date. Shortlisted learners go through assessments and interviews.

Closing date

17 May 2026 in the current round. Expect April or May 2027 for the next one.

Contact details

Western Cape learners should also apply to the African Scholars Fund bursary, the AISCT scholarship and the Allan Gray Orbis high school scholarship.

FAQs

1. When does the KMF scholarship close? +
The current round closed on 17 May 2026, after an extension from 30 April. It is for learners in Grade 6 in 2026 who will start Grade 8 in 2028, so there is no separate 2027 intake open now. Expect the next round to close around April or May 2027.
2. What is the Kay Mason Foundation? +
A Cape Town non-profit named after Kay Mason, which places talented learners from low-income families in good high schools and supports them through to matric and beyond.
3. What does it cover? +
Partial cover for school fees, uniform, textbooks and transport, plus tutoring, school camps, extracurricular activities, support workshops, psychometric testing, career guidance and post-school support. The foundation is clear that it does not pay 100% of a scholar's education costs.
4. Who qualifies? +
South African citizens in Grade 6, aged 10 to 13, entering Grade 8 two years later, living in the Western Cape within travelling distance of the KMF offices in Bellville, with a combined gross household income of no more than R17 500 a month, who can commute to Bellville on Saturdays and show leadership potential and commitment to school.
5. Which documents? +
A birth certificate, your parents' or guardians' IDs, your Grade 5 and Grade 6 reports, a handwritten essay about your family and living conditions, three months of bank statements and proof of income such as salary slips or tax returns.
6. How do I apply? +
Online on the KMF application portal at kmf.org.za when the window opens.
Update note (checked September 2026): the current round closed on 17 May 2026, after an extension from 30 April. It is for learners in Grade 6 in 2026 who will start Grade 8 in 2028, so there is no separate 2027 intake open now. Expect the next round to close around April or May 2027.

This round is not open right now. Check the provider’s own site for the next round.

Visit the provider’s website

About Kay Mason Foundation

Non-profit organisation (education)

Richard Mason founded the Kay Mason Foundation (KMF) in 1999 in memory of his sister Kay. Based in Bellville, Cape Town, the Kay Mason Foundation removes barriers to quality education for talented young people from underprivileged backgrounds in…

Read the full Kay Mason Foundation profile →
Website
kmf.org.za

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