VerifiedSocial work is on the national list of scarce skills, and the state employs most social workers. That is why the funding for it is overwhelmingly public: the national Department of Social Development, the provincial social development departments, and the SETAs that serve health and social development.
Private funding exists but it is thin. If you are studying social work, the government schemes are not a fallback, they are the main route.
Department of Social Development scholarship
The national Department of Social Development runs a scholarship for social work students as a retention strategy, to address critical and scarce skills in the sector. It is the largest scheme in this field.
Government’s own figures put the programme at about 8 000 graduates assisted since it started, with more than 3 500 of them absorbed into the public service afterwards. That absorption rate is the reason to apply: it is far higher than most bursaries can offer.
The national department can be reached on 012 312 7294 or 012 312 7223. Figures and contact details confirmed 23 September 2026 in Vuk’uzenzele, the government’s own publication. Provincial departments advertise their own rounds separately, so check both.
Provincial social development bursaries
The Gauteng Department of Social Development bursary is open and closes on 29 November 2026. It funds social work alongside occupational therapy and other social service qualifications, and it takes applications from matriculants as well as current students.
Other provinces run equivalent schemes through their own social development departments and advertise them locally. Phone the provincial head office in September or October rather than waiting to see an advert.
SETA funding
- HWSETA is the Health and Welfare SETA and covers health and social work. Its postgraduate bursary funds research that builds skills for the health, veterinary and social development sectors, and closes at the end of July.
- SASSETA names social work on the national list of occupations in high demand. It funds unemployed South African citizens aged 18 to 35 from households earning under R600 000 a year, registered at an accredited public institution. Its last round closed on 30 January 2026.
Other government bursaries
- The South African Reserve Bank funds social work alongside medicine and dentistry, which is unusual for a central bank scheme. Its external undergraduate bursary closes 30 September 2026.
- The NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund funds young people across a wide field list through the National Youth Development Agency.
- The Department of Correctional Services funds social work alongside penology, criminology and psychology, because it employs social workers in the prison system. Its last widely published external round closed in October 2022, so treat it as dormant and check the department directly.
- Free State government bursaries have funded more than 6 000 students, many now working in the province in social service posts.
University and trust bursaries
| Funder | What it funds | Last confirmed closing |
|---|---|---|
| Erika Theron Trust | Postgraduate study through the University of the Western Cape | 30 April 2026 |
| Uyinene Mrwetyana Scholarship | First-year Humanities students at UCT, including BSocSci | 16 April 2026 |
| Shoprite | A BA Law or BA Social Work with criminology as a major, or an honours in criminology | 31 May |
| Black Mountain Study Trust | Social work alongside agriculture, education, finance and the medical fields | 8 December 2025 |
| Donald White Mandla Ndwanya Memorial | Small bursaries for Western Cape school leavers | 28 November 2025 |
| Assmang | Social work within the joint municipal bursary fields, for the Northern Cape host communities | 12 December 2025 |
| Exxaro | Its Social Scheme funds students from Exxaro host communities in high-demand fields | 31 October 2026 |
Professional registration
You register with the South African Council for Social Service Professions, which regulates the education, training, development, professional conduct and registration of social service professionals.
The council registers four categories, and it is worth knowing them because they are separate careers with separate qualifications and separate funding:
- Social worker. A four-year Bachelor of Social Work.
- Social auxiliary worker. A shorter qualification, often funded through learnerships rather than bursaries.
- Child and youth care worker.
- Auxiliary child and youth care worker.
Check the council’s requirements before you enrol anywhere. A qualification that does not lead to registration is not worth funding, and the distinction matters most at private colleges.
When to apply
| Period | Action |
|---|---|
| July | HWSETA closes at the end of July. |
| September – October | The Reserve Bank closes 30 September. Exxaro closes 31 October. Apply to NSFAS by 31 October. Phone your provincial social development department about its round. |
| November – December | Gauteng social development closes 29 November. Black Mountain, Assmang and the Donald White Mandla Ndwanya bursary close in late November and December. |
| January | SASSETA closes at the end of January. |
| April – May | The Erika Theron Trust and the Uyinene Mrwetyana Scholarship close in April. Shoprite closes 31 May. |
See also our psychology bursaries page, nursing bursaries, and government bursaries for the national and provincial schemes.