South African Society of Music Teachers (SASMT)

The South African Society of Music Teachers, known in Afrikaans as Die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging van Musiekonderwysers (SAVMO), celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019. SASMT is registered as a non-profit company, and the society brings together music teachers across the country.

Registered name

South African Society of Music Teachers (SASMT)

Type

Non-profit company (music education)

Fields funded

Music study in South Africa, including strings through named scholarships

Website

sasmt-savmo.co.za

Bursaries for members and their students

SASMT administers its bursaries and scholarships for paid-up SASMT members and for students of members, for music study in South Africa. That rule shapes who can apply: a young musician whose teacher belongs to SASMT may qualify through the teacher’s membership, while an unaffiliated student would first need a link to the society.

SASMT’s own study bursary page lists 31 October 2026 as the closing date for the current SASMT Study Bursary.

Named scholarships with their own rules

Besides the study bursary, SASMT administers named awards, such as the Ellie Marx Memorial Scholarship for String Instruments. Each named award has its own information page, application form and dates, so a string player applying for the Ellie Marx award follows different instructions from a pianist applying for the general study bursary.

What an application involves

SASMT’s instructions are practical and specific. Some awards ask applicants to send a YouTube video of their playing, and SASMT asks every applicant to include an electronic photo about 500 pixels high. Leaving out the video or photo can make an otherwise strong application incomplete.

Researching SASMT awards

SASMT publishes a list of past bursary winners on its website. Reading that list shows which instruments and levels of study the society has supported, and talking to a past winner or their teacher can help you prepare. Check the specific page for each award you want, download the correct form, and ask your music teacher to confirm their SASMT membership before you apply.

Students whose teachers do not belong to SASMT can ask about joining the society’s regional centres, which also organise concerts and events for music students.

SASMT’s website is bilingual, reflecting the society’s English and Afrikaans roots, and application forms for each award can be downloaded directly from the bursaries section.

Musicians can compare SASMT with other funders on our music bursaries page.