SACTWU Bursary 2027, Requirements & Application

Key facts

Status: Applications open Closes 26 February 2027
Provider: SACTWU
Study level: Undergraduate, Postgraduate
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: September 2026

The bursary runs every year with two closing dates: the end of February for full-year and first-semester studies, and mid-August for second-semester studies.

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) runs one of the largest union bursary schemes in the country. Funded by member contributions, it helps clothing, textile, footwear and leather workers and their families pay for tertiary study, and has funded thousands of students since the 1990s.

About the SACTWU Bursary

The bursary pays a percentage of tuition fees, not the full cost:

Public universities and universities of technology: up to 75% of tuition, capped at about R23 450 a year.
Private institutions registered with the Department of Higher Education: up to 75% of tuition, capped at about R4 690 a year.
Every child dependant must join the Sactwu Student Union and do 50 hours of voluntary community service for each year funded.

Any field of study qualifies. TVET and FET colleges do not: the rules state that applications to study at one will not be considered. Bridging courses are excluded too.

SACTWU Bursary eligibility requirements

A SACTWU member or staff member, the spouse of one, or their child or legally adopted child. A child dependant in full-time employment does not qualify.
The member’s union fees must have been paid up for at least 13 weeks before the closing date.
Registered, or accepted, at a public university, university of technology or registered private college.
Passing results if already studying. A learner who fails a year or semester normally does not qualify the following year, and only exceptional cases are considered on merit.

How to apply for the SACTWU Bursary

Download the current year’s application form from sactwu.org.za or collect it from a SACTWU office or shop steward.
Attach certified copies of: the applicant’s ID and Matric certificate; academic records; the institution’s fee statement; the member’s recent payslips and proof of union membership; proof of the relationship to the member (birth, marriage, adoption or guardianship certificate); and an affidavit of unemployment where required.
Post the application to the SACTWU Bursary Department, PO Box 18359, Dalbridge, 4014, or hand-deliver it to the union’s Durban office or your nearest SACTWU office before the closing date.

SACTWU Bursary closing dates

Full-year and first-semester studies: end of February (about 26 February 2027).
Second-semester studies: mid-August (about 11 August 2027).

Contact details

SACTWU Bursary Department, Durban: 031 015 5510
Email: bursaries@sactwu.org.za
Postal address: PO Box 18359, Dalbridge, 4014
Website: www.sactwu.org.za

Read rule 18 before you plan around this one. It states that bursaries are only paid to students who do not qualify for any other bursary or funding, so the award is not designed to be stacked on top of NSFAS or a corporate bursary. Ask the bursary department how it treats your case before you rely on both. Payment goes directly to the institution, never to the member.

FAQs

1. When does the SACTWU bursary close for 2027? +

SACTWU runs two closing dates each year: the end of February for full-year and first-semester studies, and mid-August for second-semester studies. For 2027, expect a closing date around 26 February 2027 and a second one around 11 August 2027. Forms are published on the union's website and at its offices from January.

2. Who qualifies? +

Paid-up SACTWU members and staff, their spouses, and their children or legally adopted children. The member's fees must have been paid up 13 weeks beforehand. Dependants aged 25 or younger are granted a bursary automatically, subject to the rules; older applicants go to a committee. A child dependant in full-time employment does not qualify.

3. Where can I study? +

Public universities, universities of technology and private institutions registered with the Department of Higher Education, for accredited courses only. TVET and FET colleges and bridging courses are excluded by the rules.

4. How much is the bursary? +

Up to 75% of tuition fees, capped in the published rules at R23 450 a year at public universities and R4 690 at private institutions. Community service then scales the award: more than 50 hours pays 105% of the qualifying amount, 50 hours pays 100%, and no community service pays 60%.

5. How do I apply? +

Download the form from sactwu.org.za, attach the required certified documents and submit it by post to PO Box 18359, Dalbridge, 4014, or by hand at a SACTWU office.

6. What documents are required? +

Certified ID and Matric certificate, academic records, the institution's fee statement, the member's payslips and union membership proof, and proof of relationship such as a birth, marriage or guardianship certificate, plus an affidavit if the applicant is unemployed.

Update note (checked September 2026): SACTWU’s downloads page carries the 2026 bursary application form, rules and pamphlet, but the page itself does not state a closing date. The 2027 forms had not been posted when we checked. Source: sactwu.org.za.

Checked the requirements and closing date? Apply directly with the provider.

Apply on the provider’s website

Or send your application by email:

bursaries@sactwu.org.za

Paper applications go to:

the SACTWU Bursary Department, PO Box 18359, Dalbridge, 4014, or hand-deliver to the union's Durban office or your nearest SACTWU office