Key facts
- Status
- Applications open Closes 30 September 2026
- Provider
- Wits
- Study level
- Undergraduate, University
- Academic year
- 2027
- Last checked
- September 2026
Applications for the 2027 academic year opened on 1 April 2026 and close on 30 September 2026 according to Wits Sport, with a late form considered in February if funds allow.
VerifiedWits Sport, the sport department of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, awards a limited number of sports bursaries each year to student athletes. The Wits financial aid office lists the same awards as “Sports Scholarships”. Applications for the 2027 academic year opened on 1 April 2026 and close on 30 September 2026, and Wits accepts them only through its online form.
The money comes from the university’s own budget and from donations by alumni, companies, non-profit organisations and former Wits sports achievers. Wits Sport also runs a donor appeal for the programme, tied to its new Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex, a high-performance facility for elite athletes and sport scientists.
The online form and the late-application route
Wits Sport takes applications through a Google form linked from its Sports Bursaries page. Wits states that “only online applications will be accepted”, so there is no paper or email route. The form asks you to sign in to a Google account before it opens.
Students who miss 30 September have a second chance. Wits Sport runs a separate Late Sport Bursary Application form, and it considers those applications in February. Wits warns that any award to a late applicant depends on whether money is left, so the main round remains the better option.
- Open the main form from the Wits Sport bursaries page before 30 September 2026.
- Complete it in one sitting with your sporting record ready: the level you compete at, your club or team, and your results.
- Apply for a place at Wits separately. The sports bursary does not replace the university’s own admission application.
- If you miss the deadline, use the late form on the same page and expect a decision only in February.
How Wits defines an elite student-athlete
The bursaries page does not set a minimum sporting level or publish award amounts. The closest official definition is in Wits Sport’s Elite Athlete Friendly University guideline, published on its policies page. Under that guideline, a student counts as an elite student-athlete if he or she meets at least one of these criteria:
- registered as a Varsity Sport or Varsity Cup participant
- senior or junior provincial representative
- senior or junior national representative
- competitor in recognised continental or international university sport events
The same guideline lets elite athletes submit proof of sporting achievement with their admission application. Where they meet the minimum academic requirements, Wits may give them preference in competitive programmes. In exceptional cases a faculty may conditionally admit an athlete who falls slightly short of its threshold. Conditions apply: faculty approval, compulsory participation in the Wits Sport Academic Support Programme, and passing every registered course in the first year.
Academic monitoring for bursary-holders
A Wits sports bursary comes with academic oversight. Wits Sport says it monitors and regulates the academic progress of its bursary-holders so that they keep up with their studies as well as their sport. Bursary-holders can book a one-on-one consultation with the athlete support officer, Rezana Hoosain, by email only at rezana.hoosain@wits.ac.za. The guideline also allows negotiated flexibility, such as deferred assessments and leave of absence for high-performance commitments.
Sports officers who answer bursary queries
Wits Sport directs bursary queries to the officer for your sport. The Wits Sport contact page lists these officers:
| Sports | Officer | |
|---|---|---|
| Rugby, Tai Chi, Kobujutsu | Ferdinand Kelly | ferdinand.kelly@wits.ac.za |
| Football, futsal, cricket | Phuthego Mokgethi | phuthego.mokgethi@wits.ac.za |
| Basketball, yacht, boxing, gymnastics, snow ski | Ntshembo Vukeya | ntshembo.vukeya@wits.ac.za |
| Boat (rowing), chess, tennis, e-sport, mountain | Tebogo Rabothata | tebogo.rabothata@wits.ac.za |
| Netball, hockey | Vinolia Austin | vinolia.austin@wits.ac.za |
| Tang Soo Do, karate | Nontuthuko Simelane | nontuthuko.simelane@wits.ac.za |
Wits has more than 20 active sports clubs, from aquatics and fencing to orienteering and ultimate frisbee. If your sport is not in the table, contact the club through the Wits Sport clubs page.
Where a sports bursary fits with other Wits funding
The sports bursary is one of several undergraduate awards on the Wits scholarships list, alongside merit awards based on matric results. Because Wits does not publish sports bursary amounts, an athlete who also has strong marks or needs financial aid should apply for those in the usual way. Our Wits provider profile gathers the university’s other funding, and our guide on getting a sports bursary for university compares how other institutions fund athletes. More options for first-year students are on the undergraduate bursaries page.
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About Wits
Public university (research-intensive)
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits) is a public research university in the economic hub of the continent. Wits says it has been inextricably linked to the development of Johannesburg for more than 100 years, and it…
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