Standard Bank Bursary: Requirements and How to Apply
The Standard Bank Group Bursary is a full-cost funding programme for South African students in selected fields, and you apply through the StudyTrust online platform, not at a bank branch. You need South African citizenship, an average of 65% or more in your latest exams, and full-time registration at a public institution. Applications normally open on 1 June and close on 30 September for the following year’s study.
This guide walks you through the requirements, the fields funded, what the money covers, the documents to prepare and the steps to apply, so you can submit one clean application instead of several rushed ones.
TL;DR
- You must be a South African citizen with an average of at least 65% in your latest mid-year or June examinations, and be registered for full-time study.
- Funding supports undergraduate students from their second year onwards, and postgraduate students up to Master’s level, in fields such as commerce, science, engineering, mathematics and technology.
- The bursary covers tuition, books, accommodation, a laptop and a monthly stipend, among other things.
- You apply online through StudyTrust. The season usually runs from 1 June to 30 September, and late applications are not accepted.
- Selection includes a review of your application, a psychometric evaluation and a personal interview, and financial need is considered.
Table of Contents
- What the Standard Bank bursary is
- Standard Bank bursary requirements
- Fields and levels of study funded
- What the bursary covers
- Documents to prepare before you start
- How to apply, step by step
- When to apply and when to expect an answer
- How selection works
- How to strengthen your application
- Find more verified funding
- FAQ
- Sources
What the Standard Bank bursary is
The Standard Bank Group Bursary programme aims to remove financial barriers to undergraduate and postgraduate study so that recipients can focus on their studies, growth and future. It is run for the bank’s group by an outside trust that handles every application.
The fund started as the Standard Bank 150 Bursary Programme. According to the 2019 StudyTrust application form, it was launched in honour of the bank’s 150th anniversary in 2012 and offered full-cost sponsorship in commerce, science, engineering, mathematics and technology at preferred institutions such as UCT, Wits, UP, Rhodes, UKZN, Stellenbosch and UJ. Today’s programme is described on the official pages as open to public universities, so always read the current requirements rather than relying on older listings that still circulate online.
The administrator, StudyTrust, manages bursaries for several companies, foundations and donors. It states that its bursaries are never for sale and that it works without intermediaries, so every application goes directly to the trust. If anyone asks you to pay for a place, that is not this programme.
Standard Bank bursary requirements
The official bursary page sets out the core criteria. Here they are in plain terms:
| Requirement | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| South African citizenship | Only citizens are considered for bursaries administered by StudyTrust. |
| Academic average of 65% or above | Measured on your latest examinations, which means your mid-year or June results. |
| Full-time registration | Undergraduate, postgraduate or Master’s study. |
| University admission | Postgraduate applicants must meet the admission requirements of their programme. |
| Financial need | Considered as part of the assessment. |
The 65% line is a minimum for entering the process, not a guarantee. Applicants whose marks sit well above it, and who can show a steady record, present a stronger case. If you are in matric, your June results are the ones that count. If you are already at university, your most recent tertiary results carry the weight.
For a broader look at what funders in general ask for, see our guide to bursary requirements in South Africa.
Fields and levels of study funded
According to the StudyTrust page for this bursary, the supported fields include:
- Agriculture
- Commerce
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Science, including actuarial, analytics, business, computer, data and information science
- Statistics
- Financial and information technology
- Behavioural economics disciplines: economics, behavioural finance, sociology, psychology and neuroscience
The level rules matter as much as the field. Undergraduate bursaries are for students on track to complete their first year successfully who need funding from their second year onwards. This means a school leaver cannot apply for first-year funding through this route. Postgraduate bursaries support study up to Master’s level at a public South African institution of higher learning.
If you are in your final year of school, use the season before your first year to build your marks, and plan for how you will cover year one. Then apply in the application season of your first year, so funding can begin in year two.
What the bursary covers
The bank’s page lists full tuition, textbooks, accommodation, medical aid, a living allowance, a laptop, and mentoring and psychological support. The StudyTrust page adds detail:
- University fees in full.
- Accommodation in a university residence or approved private housing, subject to limits explained when you are provisionally allocated.
- Meals provided by the university, or self-catering.
- Books and other study materials.
- A laptop computer.
- A monthly stipend for other living costs.
- Transport between home and campus four times a year, at the cost of a bus ticket.
Because the accommodation terms depend on limits set at allocation, ask StudyTrust at that stage what your specific cap is before you sign a lease.
Documents to prepare before you start
Gather your documents before the season opens. The platform needs uploads, and rushing scans in the last week is how errors creep in. According to the StudyTrust application guidance, you will need:
- A certified copy of your South African ID.
- A full academic record, including your most recent results.
- Proof of household income for both parents or guardians.
- Proof of address.
For the income proof, accepted documents include payslips, audited financial statements, or affidavits for self-employed or unemployed parents or guardians. The Standard Bank page on StudyTrust specifies your Grade 12 certificate plus your full tertiary academic record if you are already at university.
Practical tips:
- Get certified copies done early. Police stations and commissioners of oaths can be busy near deadlines.
- Scan every page of your academic record in one clear PDF, not photos taken at an angle.
- If a parent is unemployed or self-employed, prepare the affidavit in advance so the household income picture is complete.
- Name files clearly, for example “ID_Surname” and “Results_2026”.
How to apply, step by step
According to the official instructions, your application must be completed on StudyTrust’s online platform, hosted by DevMan.
- Check eligibility. Compare your marks, citizenship, field and study level with the criteria above.
- Collect your documents. Scan them before you log in.
- Open the StudyTrust Standard Bank page and use the “Apply Here” button once the season is open.
- Create one profile. Use a single email address and do not register twice. Duplicate accounts only create confusion about which record is yours.
- Complete every section and upload your supporting documents.
- Submit before 30 September. Applications for the following year’s study must be in by then, and late applications are not accepted.
- Keep your confirmation and check the email account you registered with regularly.
For questions, the official bursary page lists [email protected] as the contact for enquiries. Use that address, and no other, for anything about your application.
When to apply and when to expect an answer
The pattern is steady from year to year: StudyTrust says applications open on 1 June and in most cases close on 30 September. The cycle that has just closed was for the 2027 intake, which ran from 1 June to 30 September 2026. Funding applied for in that window is for the next study year, so the next season to plan for opens around 1 June 2027 for the 2028 year. Confirm the exact dates on the official page when the season approaches.
On timing of results, the 2019 application form told applicants to expect an email about the outcome by 31 December, and to enquire only after 15 January if they had heard nothing. Programmes can change their timelines, so treat that as a rough guide and rely on the instructions shown on the platform in your own cycle.
A sensible calendar looks like this:
- March to May: collect certified documents, request an academic transcript and write down your parents’ or guardians’ income details.
- June to July: apply once the platform opens. Your mid-year results are the ones that count, so submit when you have them.
- August to September: double-check your uploads. Do not wait for the final week.
- October to January: watch your email, including the spam folder, for assessment invitations or outcomes.
How selection works
The bank states that selection starts with a review of your online application. Candidates who succeed move into a formal assessment process that includes a psychometric evaluation and a personal interview. Financial need is considered.
What that means for preparation:
- Your written application is the gate. Complete answers, legible documents and correct figures keep you in the pile.
- The psychometric evaluation measures how you think and work, so rest well beforehand and read instructions carefully.
- The interview is a conversation about you. Be ready to explain why you chose your field, what you want to do after graduating and how you handle pressure.
How to strengthen your application
No one can promise a result, but you can remove the avoidable reasons for rejection.
Apply with accurate information. Make sure the marks you enter match the records you upload. Mismatches slow things down.
Show the full picture of your household. Funders consider financial need, so complete income documents for both parents or guardians matter. If a parent is deceased or absent, explain it where the platform allows.
Pick the right level and field. If your degree is outside the lists above, you will save time by looking at funders in your own field instead.
Do not rely on one bursary. Even strong students should apply to several funders every season. Our bursaries listing shows closing dates and eligibility checklists side by side, so you can plan a handful of applications at once.
Prepare for the interview. Practise with a teacher, lecturer or family member and speak about your own story in plain words.
Our view on applying for a big bank bursary
Every year we see strong students lose out for reasons that have nothing to do with ability: a missing income document, a scan nobody can read, or an application started on the last day of the season. The best defence is a checklist and a calendar. That is why every listing on BursaryZA shows the eligibility requirements, closing dates and document needs up front, and why we link straight to the official application page. We never charge fees and we never collect applications ourselves.
Our advice is to treat a large programme like this one as your first application, not your only one. Submit it early, then use a verified database to find two or three other funders that match your field, study level and province. Students who spread their effort across verified opportunities give themselves more chances, with less stress.
Nkosi
Find more verified funding
If your field is not on the list above, or you want a few more applications in the pipeline, BursaryZA brings verified bursaries, scholarships, internships and learnerships into one searchable place. Every listing shows eligibility, closing dates, provider information and a direct link to the official application page, and our matching tool filters by field, study level and location. Start with the full bursaries in South Africa page.
You can also browse by area of study:
- Accounting and finance bursaries
- Engineering bursaries
- Science bursaries
- IT and computer science bursaries
- Social sciences bursaries
And once you graduate, look at internships and learnerships to get your first work experience.
FAQ
Is the Standard Bank bursary open to first-year students?
No. Undergraduate funding is for students who are on track to complete their first year successfully and need funding from their second year onwards. Postgraduate funding goes up to Master’s level. If you are starting university, apply during your first year so support can begin in year two.
What average do I need?
The official requirement is an average of 65% or above in your latest examinations, meaning your mid-year or June results. Meeting the minimum gets you into the process. Selection then involves a review of your application, a psychometric evaluation and an interview.
Do I have to pay to apply?
No. StudyTrust states that its bursaries are never for sale and that it handles applications directly, without intermediaries. Apply only through the official StudyTrust platform linked from the bank’s bursary page, and use [email protected] for enquiries.
Can I apply after the deadline?
No. Applications for the following year’s study must be completed before 30 September, and late applications are not accepted. The season normally opens on 1 June, so prepare your documents beforehand and submit well ahead of the closing date.
Which documents do I need?
You need a certified copy of your South African ID, your full academic record with recent results, proof of household income for both parents or guardians, and proof of address. Payslips, audited financial statements or affidavits are accepted as income proof.
Sources
- Bursaries with Standard Bank Group | Standard Bank
- StudyTrust: Standard Bank Bursary
- StudyTrust: Bursaries and Scholarships in South Africa
- StudyTrust: Online Bursary Applications
- Standard Bank 150 Bursary Programme application form 2019