Private Institution Funding Map: bursaries for private colleges in South Africa

How do bursaries for private colleges actually work?

NSFAS isn't your only option. But funding is limited.

Yes, you can get funding for private education. There is no single NSFAS-style application that covers private colleges. NSFAS funds eligible students at public universities and public TVET colleges; a private institution's registration or accreditation does not make it NSFAS-funded. See the NSFAS institution directory.

Start with your institution below. Check the funding year, your course and the amount you would still owe before paying a registration fee.

Checked: 12 September 2026. Planning for: 2027 study. This is a dated funding map, not a live availability feed. A published programme is not a guaranteed award. Where a 2027 window was not confirmed, that is stated explicitly.

You need your intended qualification and campus, latest results and a rough household-income figure to shortlist options. Allow 15–20 minutes to find your route; submitting applications takes longer.

The three routes to check

Route	Who provides it?	What to check
Institution bursary	The college or its bursary fund	Financial need, academic results, eligible courses and the application window
Scholarship or fee support	The institution or a partner	Merit or household-income criteria; the actual fee reduction; excluded costs
External bursary	A company, trust, foundation or SETA	Whether your exact private institution and qualification qualify; any work-back or other contract conditions

A loan must be repaid. An instalment plan spreads the bill. Neither is free funding. Even a bursary can carry conditions or repayment obligations if you breach its agreement.

The private institution funding map

Use the linked institution pages to reach the current applications. “Enquire” means there is a route worth checking, but a current award or 2027 deadline has not been confirmed here.

Institution	Funding route and coverage	Status and your next step
Emeris (including the evolving Varsity College, IIE MSA and Vega brands)	Academic scholarship; separate income-based Fee Support Programme	2027 scholarship applications open until 30 September 2026. SA citizenship and academic criteria apply. Scholarship and application. Fee support.
REGENT Business School	50% discount on the programme fee for Higher Certificates through distance learning, ages 17–19	Published for 2027 registration, with the promotion end date still to be confirmed. Additional costs, such as study materials, are excluded. Eligibility and enquiry form.
Richfield	Internal tuition-only bursary; financial need and academic evidence are assessed	2026 intake closed. 2027 details pending. Ask to be notified when the next intake opens. Bursary notice and documents.
Milpark Education	Internal bursary based on need and academic performance; amount depends on the award	2027 applications expected towards the end of 2026, once new timetables are available. The page still contains expired 2026 dates. Student bursaries section.
Eduvos	External bursaries with sponsor-specific coverage	Its portal currently lists opportunities. Check each sponsor's deadline and whether your course and institution qualify. External bursary portal.
AFDA	External bursaries that may cover AFDA fields and private higher education	Check the current listings and apply to the funder yourself. AFDA can help with an acceptance letter or fee quotation. Funding opportunities.
Boston City Campus	Institution bursaries for new and existing students; award value varies	Published annual windows: 1–30 November for the following year's Semester A; 1–31 May for Semester B. For early 2027, plan for November 2026 and confirm with your Support Centre. Bursary process.
Belgium Campus iTversity	Merit awards and limited need-based bursaries, deducted from tuition for one academic year	The institution publishes diploma merit awards of R4,000–R10,000 and degree awards of R6,000–R20,000. Confirm 2027 amounts, tests and deadlines. Awards and bursaries. Funding enquiries.
STADIO	Ask about institution/partner bursaries and SETA allocations; its general funding page also lists loans and payment plans	No open 2027 bursary confirmed in this check. STADIO appears in the historical ETDP SETA notice below; ask whether a current allocation exists. Student funding and advisor details.
MANCOSA	Ask admissions about current external, employer and SETA bursaries	No open 2027 bursary confirmed in this check. MANCOSA appears in the historical ETDP SETA notice below. Request the current bursary contact through the official application/admissions page.
IIE Rosebank College	External or partner funding; the college's FAQ says it does not offer its own bursaries	No open 2027 bursary confirmed here. Ask specifically about current external/SETA allocations. Official FAQ. Fees and finance.
Zaio	Up to 30% of tuition can be covered through tuition support; enquire about eligibility for your programme	Request an assessment and written quote from Zaio. Confirm eligible courses, intake, award amount and the balance payable. Explore Zaio. Speak to a Zaio advisor.

This covers the institutions above, not every private provider in South Africa. If yours is missing, use the admissions message below and ask about all three funding routes.

Emeris: two separate applications to understand

For the 2027 academic scholarship, you must be a South African citizen. Undergraduate applicants need at least a 75% Grade 11 average and must provide the required final academic report or NSC results. Postgraduate applicants have separate academic criteria on the same page.

1. Apply to study at Emeris and pay the application fee. This is required before the scholarship application.
2. Use your application number in the scholarship form.
3. Upload your academic evidence and a one-page motivation.
4. Submit by 30 September 2026. The page says successful applicants will be notified during October 2026.

Read the criteria and apply for the scholarship. Do not assume the award covers all tuition or living costs; check your offer letter.

The separate Fee Support Programme allows qualifying prospective new students from households earning less than R1 million a year to apply for reduced fees. Awards are limited, only selected qualifications qualify, and the remaining fees are payable on 10-monthly terms. An income below the threshold alone does not guarantee approval.

Check the fee-support schedules and application and read the 2027 terms. Ask whether support can be combined with any other award.

Richfield, Milpark and Boston: prepare for the right window

Richfield's tuition bursary page asks for a certified ID copy, a one-page motivation and academic documents. Its current notice says the 2026 intake is closed and 2027 updates will follow. Tuition-only means you still need a plan for other costs.

Milpark's bursary page says 2027 module applications come towards the end of 2026. Its December 2025 and June 2026 deadlines are for 2026 funding, even though an “open” heading remains on the page. Prospective students without login credentials can ask bursaries@milpark.ac.za about the next round. The published exclusions include PGDA/CTA and the Advanced Accounting bridging short course.

Boston applications go through the Support Centre where you intend to study. Take your ID, latest results and a motivation letter. Applicants must be at least 17, with parental or guardian endorsement if under 18. Its bursaries exclude accommodation, transport, stationery and external examination fees. Check the full process and annual windows.

Eduvos and AFDA: check the funder behind the listing

Eduvos's portal was not empty when checked on 12 September 2026. It includes Mulilo, BBD and other external listings. Some entries have older intake years or generic deadline labels, so use the sponsor's own terms before applying.

For example, Eduvos advertises the Mulilo 2027 bursary, closing 31 October 2026, for qualifying South African residents of Emthanjeni, Renosterberg or Siyathemba in the Northern Cape. The listing describes tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend and a book allowance. This is geographically restricted, not a bursary for every Eduvos applicant. Read the Eduvos listing and check the Mulilo application, including acceptance of your exact institution and programme.

AFDA publishes external opportunities by field. Its funding page explains that the bursary agreement is between you and the funder, and you must submit the application yourself. Some listings may not accept every AFDA course. AFDA also says you may apply for several bursaries but accept only one; confirm the applicable rules before accepting multiple offers.

SETAs: ask your institution about its current allocation

SETAs are sector education and training authorities. Some fund students at participating private institutions, but funding depends on a particular scheme, allocation and eligible qualification.

An ETDP SETA notice dated 20 January 2025 describes an institution-administered scheme and names private providers including Boston, STADIO, Eduvos, Richfield, MANCOSA and several IIE brands. It says students should apply through institutions, with bursaries capped at R120,000 per student per year and registration and tuition prioritised.

That is evidence of a funding route, not confirmation of an open 2027 bursary. The notice targets unemployed students without other funding and says the scheme may not cover every study or personal cost. Do not assume accommodation or living allowances are included in a current award.

Ask the financial-aid office: “Do you have a funded ETDP SETA or other SETA allocation for my qualification in 2027? Is the student application window open, what does it cover, and where do I apply?”

Zaio: ask about support covering up to 30% of tuition

If you are considering a tech programme, up to 30% of tuition can be covered at Zaio. Request the support assessment before committing to a course. Confirm the eligibility criteria, eligible intake and programme, award amount, deadline and whether it can be combined with other discounts.

For illustration, if tuition were R30,000 and you received the full 30%, support would cover R9,000 and leave R21,000 in tuition to pay. This is a calculation example, not a Zaio course price or guaranteed award. Budget separately for any other costs.

• Browse Zaio bootcamps or qualifications.
• Speak to an advisor about tuition support, or email hello@zaio.io.
• Compare Zaio's payment and financing options. Loans and instalments on that page are separate from tuition support; borrowing the full fee still means repaying it.

Disclosure: Akhil, the creator behind AfricanTechBro, is Zaio's founder. The up-to-30% support information was supplied by him for this guide on 12 September 2026. The linked public financing page does not publish the full terms of that support, so get your individual offer in writing.

Before you pay registration

Get written answers to these questions:

1. Is this funding for my exact qualification, campus, study mode and 2027 intake?
2. Is it a bursary, scholarship, fee discount, loan or payment plan?
3. How much is approved in rand, and what must I still pay?
4. Are registration, textbooks, equipment, accommodation, transport and living costs included?
5. Does it cover one semester, one year or the whole qualification? What results are needed to renew it?
6. Are there work-back, repayment or restrictions on accepting other funding?
7. What happens to my deposit or registration payment if funding is declined?

An application number is not a funding award. If you must pay an application fee before applying for funding, as Emeris requires for its scholarship, understand that cost first. Keep the offer, fee schedule and refund terms together.

Copy this message to admissions

Hello, I am interested in studying [qualification] at [campus/online] in 2027. Please send me the current institution bursary, scholarship, fee-support and external/SETA funding options for this programme. My latest average is [percentage], and my household income falls in [range]. Which options can I apply for, what are their deadlines, and what documents do you need? Please confirm the amount covered, the balance I would owe, renewal conditions and whether registration payments are refundable if funding is declined. I would also like a full written fee quotation.

Send documents only through the institution's or funder's official process. Start with your best-fit option today and save the closing date alongside the application link.