The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African govt initiative aimed at addressing the lack of experienced teachers in the country.

It provides financial help to suitable students who want to pursue a teaching qualification in areas which can be important for the education sector.

The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to promote teaching as a career by funding university students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected scarcity of teachers, for example:

- Mathematics
- Physical Science
- Technology
- Languages (especially African languages)
- Early Childhood Development
- Foundation Phase Teaching

*** Who Qualifies For The Bursary?
To be eligible for the Funza Lushaka bursary, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. **Citizenship**: Have to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must plan to enroll or previously be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) at a recognized South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students need to display satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Need to plan to teach in a very precedence subject area as recognized because of the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants ought to demonstrate a motivation to educating and an knowledge of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants shouldn't be older than thirty years when they apply.

*** Application Procedure For your Funza Lushaka Bursary:

1. ** On line Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the internet in the official Funza Lushaka bursary program (about the Department of Basic Education's focused Web site for Funza Lushaka).
- The application window generally opens towards the end with the academic 12 months and closes early the next calendar year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are expected.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is offered to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The applying goes as a result of a range process based upon the necessity for teachers in particular subjects and locations.

***What Does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Guides and studying resources
- A small stipend for other living expenditures

***Conditions for Working Back the Bursary:
Upon graduation, bursary recipients are required to:

1. **Teach in a Public School**: Recipients must work as teachers in a public school for the same number of years that they received the bursary. This is known as the "work-back" period.
2. **Service Placement**: The Department of Basic Education will place recipients in schools where their skills are needed, often in rural or underserved areas.
3. **Failure to Fulfill the Obligation**: If the recipient fails to meet the work-back obligation (e.g., not Funza bursary teaching after graduation or leaving before completing the required service), they will be required to repay the bursary amount in full, with interest.

***Renewal of the Bursary:
The bursary is renewable annually, provided the student continues to meet the academic and other requirements. Recipients need to reapply every year, and the renewal is subject to satisfactory academic performance.