Postgraduate Diploma and Honours bursary

About the bursary

The postgraduate diploma and honours bursary aim to assist qualifying South African Unisa alumni students with their Unisa tuition fees, thus enabling them to register and complete their qualifications.

Financial support is offered to both postgraduate diploma and honours students subject to eligibility, academic performance, and availability of funds.

Important Notices:

2026 Honours Bursaries Q&A Session

The details of 2026 Q&A session where you will learn more about the Unisa PG Diploma and Honours Bursary application, awarding and refunds process are as follow:

Date: Monday, 13 October 2025
Time: 10am (CAT)
Link: Microsoft Team, 2026 Honours Bursaries Q&A Session

PG Diploma/ Honours Bursary guidelines, terms, and conditions

Who can apply?

• Returning Bursary Beneficiaries – previously funded by UNISA PG Bursary.
  • UNISA NQF level 8 PG Diploma/ honours students South African (citizens) who have passed their previously funded/ registered modules with an average of 50%.
• New Bursary applicants – never been funded by UNISA PG Bursary.
  • UNISA NQF level 7 undergraduate alumni students, South African (citizens) who have completed their degree/ advance diploma by 31 January 2026, and attained an average of 60% on their entire undergraduate qualification (including supplementary, failed, etc modules).
  • UNISA NQF level 8 PG Diploma/ honours students, South African (citizens) in their second year of study who have passed at least three postgraduate modules and attained an average of 60% in the same previously registered Postgraduate qualification.

Who can NOT apply?

• UNISA permanent staff members.
• Internation students (who are not South African citizens )
• Graduate School of Business Leadership students registered for:
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Supply Chain Management
• Students who have completed non-degree purpose modules with none recently completed NQF level 7 degree or advanced diploma.
• Students who have completed Bachelor of Technology (BTech) qualification with none recently completed NQF level 7 degree or advanced diploma.
• Students registered for special study programmes, including certificates (PGCE), Bachelor of Technology (BTech) or non-degree purpose programmes are not eligible for this bursary.
• Students who only completed special study programmes, including certificates (PGCE) and non-degree purpose programmes and do not have Unisa NQF level 7 qualification.
• Students who have already completed a postgraduate degree from NQF level 8 to 10 with Unisa or any other institution of higher learning are not eligible for this bursary.

What does the bursary fund?

• The bursary covers TUITION FEES ONLY.
• The bursary does NOT provide any laptop, accommodation, textbook or additional study material allowances.
• The bursary funds students for TWO consecutive years of funding, subject to 2^nd year approved re-application.
• The bursary does NOT cover failed/ repeating modules.
• The bursary does NOT fund additional or different NQF level 8 qualification from the one previously funded.
• The bursary does NOT fund a new NQF level 8 qualification, without 3 or more passed modules at an average of 60% or more, if a student has previously enrolled for a different NQF level 8 qualification.
• The bursary does NOT cover historic debt.
• Priority will be given to outstanding students with higher averages – awarding from highest to the lowest performing student (e.g., from 100% average to 60% average) subject to the availability of funds, as per average calculation on the entire undergraduate qualification/ three honours/PG diploma modules (including supplementary, failed, etc modules).

Outcome will only be communicated to student’s mylife email account:

• Unsuccessful students who paid for their own registration should deregister before cancellation closing date (through their nearest regional centre/ myUnisa) if they cannot find alternative funding. For more information visit: Unisa's cancellation dates 
• Students who paid for their own registration should retain/ keep their registration proof of payment (ATM receipt/ speed point receipt etc) which will be required should they be awarded and are eligible for a refund.
• Postgraduate diploma and honours students may submit an appeal between 1 April – 7 April.
  • Appeals should be submitted as a formal email to CGS-pgb@unisa.ac.za with information/ evidence proving that the rejection reason(s) provided contradicts student’s status quo.
• Students who can NOT appeal
  • Students who have been fully funded for the full bursary period.
  • Students who are unsuccessful due to insufficient funds.
  • Students who have adequate external/ alternative funding (double dipping)
  • Students who were rejected by the college vetting process due to unsatisfactory academic performance.
  • Students who are NOT eligible for the bursary as per bursary guidelines, terms, and conditions.

What should awarded students do? 

• Send the signed bursary contract to the designated Postgraduate Bursary officer as per email instructions before closing date thereof.
• Students who paid their registration fees from their own pocket:
  • Submit their banking details through the provided bank link as per email instructions from the award section, student can NOT use a third-party bank account (bank account should be the student’s account)
    
    If your banking details verification is rejected you will be resent a new link to resubmit correct details, should the attempt fail you’ll be emailed a claim/ refund form to submit instead.
    
    Include in your email submission:

1. 1. Certified ID copy not older than 6 months from request email date along
   2. Proof of payment (bank statement/ bank payment confirmation/ receipt) that reflects the exact payment(s) made and account holder’s name (in this case student’s name). – if you had paid for your own fees.

• Student whose registration fees were paid by a 3^rd party (e.g., company, another person/ organisation):
  • In the case where company has provided a loan for the tuition fees to the student, a refund of the awarded tuition can be refunded back to the company. (Documentation from the company will be required as proof of the loan, e.g. signed loan agreement )
  • Refund will only be paid to individual 3^rd parties that paid for student’s tuition fee on your behalf as a student.
  • The company/ organisation/ 3rd party bank account confirmation letter from the bank will be required and completed Claim/ Refund form with the 3^rd party bank account details along with 3^rd party ID copy not older than 6 months, as per email instructions from the award section.
    
    Include in your email submission:

• • Student certified ID copy not older than 6 months along
  • Proof of payment (bank statement/ bank payment confirmation/ receipt) that reflects the payment(s) and the 3^rd party’s name as an account holder/ payer. 
  • 3^rd party’s bank account confirmation letter reflecting the 3^rd party’s name as an account holder.
  • 3^rd party certified ID copy not older than 6 months

The period of processing the claim will take 15-21 working days after receiving the correct refund documents.

Please note: 

• Unisa gives no guarantee that the bursary will be awarded to all eligible students, as the bursary is subject to the availability of funds.
• If a student:

• • fails to comply with any of the terms and conditions of the award, and/or
  • terminates their studies, their Unisa postgraduate bursary will be cancelled, and the current year’s Unisa postgraduate bursary amount awarded will be charged to the student’s account, which will be handed over to the Unisa legal and finance department to affect the collection process.

• Student who wishes to cancel their registration/ modules will have to deregister before cancellation closing date (through their nearest regional centre / myUnisa) and once cancellation is confirmed, communicate an award withdrawal to DSF PG bursary Award Section at DSF-POSTGRD@unisa.ac.za and cc the designated officer whom you submit bursary contract to.

• • Note that Division of Student Funding DOES NOT administer deregistration/ module cancellations.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they cancel before cancellation closing date and note that student may forfeit any amounts paid by the student and or may remain liable to pay the full outstanding fees.
  • For PG Diploma/ Honours cancellations, visit: Unisa's cancellation dates

2026 PG Bursary application app guide for PGD/ Honours students is now available, Click here to download

Click here to apply