UNISA BANKSETA Bursary 2027: How to Apply

Key facts

Status: Applications closed Closed 29 January 2026
Provider: UNISA
Field of study: Accounting, Financial Accounting
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: September 2026

No 2027 call had been published when we checked.

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

Closed · applications closed on 29 January 2026 Watch the student funding pages on UNISA's own website from late 2026. Latest update ↓

BANKSETA, the skills authority for banking and microfinance, has funded UNISA accounting students through the university’s College of Accounting Sciences. The bursary suits distance learners, adding a laptop, data and a monthly stipend to full tuition.

About the UNISA BANKSETA Bursary

For the BCom in Financial Accounting at UNISA in the last published round.
Covers full tuition, a laptop worth up to R7 000, a R1 500 monthly stipend and a R500 monthly data allowance.
Does not cover outstanding fees from earlier studies.

Eligibility requirements

South African citizen under 35.
Registered at UNISA for the qualification.
Household income below R600 000 a year.
Not employed and not receiving another bursary; preference for students with disabilities.

How to apply

Check the student funding pages on unisa.ac.za for the current BANKSETA call.
Complete the application form and attach a certified ID, qualifications, proof of registration and income documents.
Submit as instructed; the last round used casstudentsupport@unisa.ac.za.

Closing date

26 June in the last published standalone round (2023). No 2027 date has been announced.

Contact details

College of Accounting Sciences: 012 429 4735 or 012 429 3580
Email: casstudentsupport@unisa.ac.za

See also our guide on checking your UNISA bursary status, the financial accounting bursaries list and the NSFAS bursary.

FAQs

1. Is the UNISA BANKSETA bursary open for 2027? +

No 2027 call had been published when we checked. The last published standalone round closed on 26 June 2023, and UNISA's SETA-funded bursaries for 2026 were handled through its funding window, which closed on 29 January 2026. Watch UNISA's student funding pages from late 2026.

2. Who funds it? +

The Banking Sector Education and Training Authority, BANKSETA, through UNISA's College of Accounting Sciences.

3. Which qualification? +

The BCom in Financial Accounting at UNISA in the last published round.

4. What does it cover? +

Full tuition, a laptop worth up to R7 000, a monthly stipend of R1 500 and a monthly data allowance of R500. It does not pay old debt.

5. Who qualifies? +

South African citizens under 35, registered at UNISA for the qualification, with a household income below R600 000, not employed and not holding another bursary. Students with disabilities get preference.

6. How do I apply? +

In the last round, by emailing the completed application form and certified documents to casstudentsupport@unisa.ac.za. Check UNISA's funding pages for the current process.

Update note (checked September 2026): no 2027 call had been published when we checked. The last published standalone round closed on 26 June 2023, and UNISA’s SETA-funded bursaries for 2026 ran through its funding window, which closed on 29 January 2026. Watch the student funding pages on UNISA’s own website from late 2026.

This round is not open right now. Check the provider’s own site for the next round.

Visit the provider’s website

About UNISA

Public university (open distance learning)

UNISA calls itself Africa's mega university, and the label fits: the University of South Africa teaches through open distance learning rather than a single residential campus, and students across South Africa and beyond study with UNISA while working.…

Read the full UNISA profile →

Website: unisa.ac.za

Student funding in numbers

2025811 011students funded by NSFAS580 000 at universities, 231 000 at TVET colleges, on a budget of R48.7 billion.

20261 026 091students approved for NSFAS funding609 403 first-year applicants qualified and 416 688 continuing students met the progression criteria, out of 893 847 applications.

2027 projectedR53.4bnbudgeted for NSFASThe allocation rises from R48.7 billion in 2025 to R51 billion in 2026 and R53.4 billion in 2027. Student numbers for 2027 are not published yet.

Figures from the Minister of Higher Education’s Budget Vote of 3 July 2025 and the NSFAS statement of 2 January 2026. NSFAS is the largest funder, not the only one – we track the rest.