The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative aimed toward addressing the lack of competent teachers during the country.

It provides financial support to suitable students who need to go after a teaching qualification in places which have been vital to the education and learning sector.

The Funza Lushaka bursary is made to encourage teaching like a career by funding college students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected lack of teachers, which include:

- 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**: Needs to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a acknowledged South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants have to have an admission point score (APS) that qualifies them for admission into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students should display satisfactory educational general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to plan to educate within a priority subject area as identified from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants will have to show a determination to educating and an idea of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants should not be older than 30 years once they apply.

*** Application Procedure For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:

1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted on line throughout the Formal Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (on the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Internet site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window typically opens towards the tip in the academic calendar year and closes early the next calendar year (normally November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, academic results, and evidence of university registration are essential.
3. Funza **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by a selection approach depending on the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and locations.

***Exactly what does The Bursary Include?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and meals
- Publications and studying materials
- A small stipend for other living costs

***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 website 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 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.