National Economic Education Trust (NEET)

The National Economic Education Trust (NEET) has funded education for previously disadvantaged South Africans since 1991. NEET is a non-profit trust based in Midrand, Gauteng, and its stated purpose is to alleviate poverty, restore dignity and improve quality of life through access to higher education.

Registered name

National Economic Education Trust (NEET)

Type

Non-profit trust (education funding)

Fields funded

Accounting, science, technology and other scarce-skills fields

Website

neet-sa.co.za

Email

info@neet.co.za

Phone

010 224 0144

Born from National Sorghum Breweries

NEET started as the National Sorghum Breweries (NSB) Education Trust. The trust was founded during the turbulent political climate of 1991 with an initial government grant of R30 million, following the dissolution of National Sorghum Breweries Limited, the state-linked producer of traditional sorghum beer.

Rather than spending that capital directly, NEET’s founders invested it as an endowment. NEET says that through well-planned investments, and a bit of luck, the trust has earned enough interest and dividends to sustain its operations without new capital since 1992.

Three decades of graduates

NEET reports that it has supported more than 6 500 graduates, including doctors, lawyers, MBA holders and leaders in the private and public sectors. The provider record, checked in August 2026, puts NEET’s total bursary spending at about R44 million. NEET supports students during their studies through its Student Management Portal, which provides coaching and mentorship, and helps graduates find internships and jobs.

NEET targets academically capable students from disadvantaged communities with strong mathematics and science potential. NEET does not tie bursaries to employment, because its aim is to grow South Africa’s pool of skilled people rather than recruit for itself.

New work in digital education

NEET has expanded beyond bursaries. NEET invites partners to support Virtual Campus (VCampus), a programme bringing digital education to public schools. NEET’s 4IR Academy trains unemployed young people in Fourth Industrial Revolution skills, with urgent attention to cybersecurity. NEET also manages bursaries on behalf of corporate funders.

How to research NEET

No 2027 NEET date had been published when BursariesAfrica checked. Because NEET increasingly administers bursaries for other funders, check its website for open programmes, and email or phone NEET to ask which funders’ programmes will open for 2027. Ask too whether the 4IR Academy takes unemployed matriculants or graduates.

Students applying through a NEET-managed programme should read each funder’s conditions carefully, because a corporate funder may attach work-back terms that NEET’s own bursaries do not.

See the StudyTrust Missing Middle Bursary for another administrator-run programme.