The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative targeted at addressing the scarcity of competent teachers within the country.

It provides economic support to suitable students who want to pursue a teaching qualification in places which have been important to the education and learning sector.

The Funza Lushaka bursary is created to boost teaching being a career by funding students to study for any Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a selected shortage 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**: Must be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Must intend to enroll or presently be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a acknowledged 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 should demonstrate satisfactory academic general performance.
4. **Field of Study**: Must intend to teach within a precedence subject area as discovered from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Teaching**: Applicants need to display a determination to educating and an comprehension of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than thirty years after they apply.

*** Application Procedure With the Funza Lushaka Bursary:

1. ** On the web Application**:
- Applications are submitted online from the official Funza Lushaka bursary process (about the Department of Basic Education's focused Site for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window normally opens towards the top from the academic yr and closes early the following calendar year (commonly November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and proof of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The appliance goes via a selection method based upon the necessity for teachers in specific subjects and locations.

***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition charges
- Accommodation and meals
- Guides and learning supplies
- A little 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 skills are needed, often in rural or underserved areas.
3. **Failure to Fulfill the Funza Lushaka application 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.