The Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent helps South African municipalities plan, build and maintain the water, roads and electricity networks they struggle to staff. Its technical bursary funds about seventy students a year in the built environment disciplines those municipalities need, at universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges alike.
About the MISA Bursary
- Civil engineering: about 20 bursaries, at national diploma or N2 to N6 level.
- Electrical engineering: about 25 bursaries, at national diploma or N2 to N6 level.
- Urban and regional planning: about 15 bursaries. Environmental management and project and construction management: about 5 each, at national diploma or degree level.
- Covers registration fees, tuition fees, prescribed books and other prescribed materials, accommodation and meals.
MISA Bursary eligibility requirements
- South African citizen who has completed Matric.
- Studying full-time at a recognised university, university of technology or TVET college.
- Household income below R600 000 a year, with all the previous year’s courses passed.
- Preference for students from rural areas and previously disadvantaged communities.
How to apply for the MISA Bursary
- Download the application form from misa.gov.za when the call opens.
- Combine certified copies of your ID, Matric certificate, current academic records, previous year’s results, proof of registration or acceptance, a financial statement from your institution and your parents’ or guardians’ proof of income into a single PDF.
- Email it to the MISA bursaries address published in the call, with your discipline in the subject line, before the closing time.
MISA Bursary closing date
7 March 2026 for the 2026 round, and 20 June 2026 at 16:30 for the 2026/27 technical bursary. Expect the first half of 2027 for the next call.
Contact details
- Ms Nobuhle Latha or Ms Thulisile Mosoeu: 012 848 5529 or 012 848 5562
- Website: www.misa.gov.za
Built environment students should also apply to the Department of Water and Sanitation bursary, the SANRAL bursary and see our civil engineering bursaries page.
FAQs
1. When does the MISA bursary close for 2027? +
MISA runs its technical bursary in the first half of the year. The 2026 round closed on 7 March 2026 and the 2026/27 technical bursary closed on 20 June 2026 at 16:30. Watch misa.gov.za from January 2027 for the next call.
2. What is MISA? +
The Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent, an agency of the Department of Cooperative Governance that helps municipalities plan, build and maintain infrastructure.
3. Which fields and how many bursaries? +
About 70 bursaries across five built environment disciplines: civil engineering (20), electrical engineering (25), urban and regional planning (15), environmental management (5) and project and construction management (5), at national diploma, degree or N2 to N6 level.
4. What does it cover? +
Registration fees, tuition fees, prescribed books and other prescribed materials, accommodation and meals.
5. Who qualifies? +
South African citizens who have completed Matric and are studying full-time at a recognised university, university of technology or TVET college, with a household income below R600 000 a year and all previous year's courses passed. Preference goes to students from rural areas and previously disadvantaged communities.
6. How do I apply? +
Combine all your documents into a single PDF and email it to the MISA bursaries address for the year, with your discipline in the subject line. Include certified copies of your ID, Matric certificate, current academic records, previous year's results, proof of registration or acceptance, a financial statement from your institution and your parents' or guardians' proof of income.
Update note (checked September 2026): MISA runs its technical bursary in the first half of the year. The 2026 round closed on 7 March 2026 and the 2026/27 technical bursary closed on 20 June 2026 at 16:30. Watch misa.gov.za from January 2027 for the next call.
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