Wind and Solar Farm Bursaries 2027 Through StudyTrust

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

Eight renewable energy plants in the Northern Cape and Western Cape fund bursaries for young people who live near them, and StudyTrust, an educational trust and public benefit organisation, runs the selection for all eight. Each plant sets its own rules: the area you must come from, the family income limit, whether private colleges count, and whether only Grade 12 learners at named schools may apply. The eight programmes are separate bursaries with separate budgets, but they share one application season (1 June to 30 September) and one online form.

StudyTrust’s bursary applications page says applicants only have to apply once, because StudyTrust matches each application to every sponsor the applicant qualifies for. A student in Loeriesfontein, for example, falls inside the area of both the Khobab Wind Farm and Solar Capital Orange and does not need two applications. The same form also covers StudyTrust’s other bursaries, such as the StudyTrust Missing Middle Bursary.

The eight plants side by side

None of the eight plants publishes a fixed rand amount. Every page says the value is set per student, and most list the same cost items the money may be used for: tuition, registration and examination fees, accommodation in a residence or equivalent, meals, and learning materials such as textbooks and stationery.

Khobab Wind Farm (Loeriesfontein)

The Khobab Wind Farm bursary is only for South African citizens who live in Loeriesfontein. Current students and people who will start studying in 2027 may apply. The page’s opening lines mention public and accredited private TVET colleges, universities of technology and universities, while the eligibility section refers only to public institutions, so a student at a private college should confirm with StudyTrust before relying on it.

Khobab gives a limited number of bursaries to the most deserving candidates and covers tuition, registration and examination fees, residence accommodation, meals and learning materials. Honours, BTech and other postgraduate applications are judged on whether the extra qualification will improve the applicant’s chances of finding work. The page does not state an income limit. Supporting documents may be sent to b.ndlovu@studytrust.org.za.

Roggeveld Wind Power, Rietkloof and Brandvalley (Karoo)

Three Karoo wind farms, Roggeveld Wind Power, Rietkloof Wind Farm and Brandvalley Wind Farm, run one joint bursary. Applicants must be South African citizens living within a 50 km radius of Laingsburg, Matjiesfontein or Sutherland, and the combined gross family income may not exceed R600,000 a year. Both public and accredited private institutions qualify.

Selection uses Grade 12 final or mid-year results and/or the tertiary academic record. When all shortlisted applicants are strong academically, the one with the greatest financial need gets preference. The number of awards depends on that year’s budget. Unlike most of the other seven pages, this one does not list the cost items the bursary pays for. Documents go to the same StudyTrust address as Khobab.

Gouda Wind Energy Facility (13 Western Cape towns)

The Gouda Wind Energy bursary is aimed at school leavers rather than current students. It invites Grade 12 learners at designated schools in Gouda, Saron, Tulbagh, Wellington, Hermon, Ceres, Malmesbury, Riebeek Kasteel, Riebeek West, Porterville, Mbekweni, Piketberg and Wolseley. The class of 2026 gets priority, but people who finished the NSC or NTC in earlier years may also apply.

The bursary funds study at public TVET colleges, universities of technology and universities, including NQF level 4 technical and vocational programmes, national diplomas and degrees. Private institutions are excluded. Gouda selects on preliminary Grade 12 results and asks applicants to show they lack the money to continue studying; no rand income limit is given.

Kangnas Wind Farm (Namakwa District)

The Kangnas Wind Farm bursary covers the widest area of the eight: anyone who lives in the Namakwa District Municipality and is a South African citizen may apply, whether already studying or starting in 2027. It also has one of the two lowest income limits, R350,000 combined gross family income a year. Suitably accredited public institutions and fully accredited private institutions both qualify.

Kangnas selects on the final or mid-year school report and/or tertiary record, pays for the same four groups of costs as Khobab, and limits awards to the year’s budget.

Kathu Solar Park (John Taolo Gaetsewe District)

Kathu Solar Park invites applications for 2027 from South African citizens who live in the JTG District. Its eligibility paragraph names Kathu specifically, while the introduction names the whole district; applicants from elsewhere in the district should apply and state their address accurately. The family income ceiling is R600,000 gross a year.

Kathu Solar Park is the only one of the eight that states it considers full-time study only. Public and accredited private institutions qualify, selection uses Grade 12 final or mid-year results and/or the tertiary record, and financial need decides between equally strong candidates.

Sishen Solar Facility (three Kathu-area schools)

The Sishen Solar Facility bursary is tied to three schools: Gamagara High School in Deben, Langeberg High School and Hoërskool Kathu. Current and past Grade 12 learners from those schools may apply, with 2026 matriculants prioritised. The page says applications from previously disadvantaged South African citizens will be considered.

Like Gouda, Sishen selects on preliminary Grade 12 results plus proof that the family cannot afford tertiary study, and it does not fund private institutions. The bursary may cover fees, a tertiary residence or equivalent, meals and learning materials.

Lilitha Solar PV (De Aar)

Lilitha Solar PV funds South African citizens who live in De Aar or within 50 km of the town, with a combined gross family income of no more than R600,000 a year. Both current students and 2027 first-years are eligible. The eligible-institutions line names suitably accredited public institutions only.

De Aar students may also know the separate Sibona Ilanga Trust bursary, which is funded by a different solar plant in the same area and is not part of the StudyTrust group.

Solar Capital Orange (Hantam District)

Solar Capital Orange takes students from Loeriesfontein, Nieuwoudtville, Calvinia, Brandvlei and the surrounding Hantam area who will study at a public tertiary institution. It is the only page of the eight that says the bursary covers the full duration of the degree. The income limit is R350,000 gross a year, and selection uses the Grade 12 and/or tertiary record. Current students and those starting in January 2027 may apply.

Documents StudyTrust asks for

StudyTrust’s online form will not submit until every required document is uploaded. The list on its applications page is:

• a certified copy of the South African ID;
• the full academic record with the latest results: first-semester 2026 results for students, final Grade 11 and second-term 2026 reports for current Grade 12 learners, or the NSC certificate for those who have matriculated;
• proof of address, which matters here because the plants only consider applicants whose parental home is inside their area;
• proof of income for both parents or guardians: payslips, an affidavit of unemployment or self-employment income, a SASSA grant letter, death certificates or child-support documents where they apply;
• a recent head-and-shoulders photo.

The form includes essay questions, and StudyTrust states that essays written by AI will not be considered. General questions go to apply@studytrust.org.za. StudyTrust also warns that its bursaries are never sold and that it does not work through intermediaries. Students from other parts of the province can compare the Northern Cape government bursaries.

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