The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture invites qualifying students to apply for the 2027 Bursary Programme for selected arts, design, language, archives and heritage-related qualifications.
Bursary Application Closing Date: 30 November 2026
Bursary Location: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Study Mode: Full-time
Eligible Institutions: Public higher-education institutions
About the KZN Sport, Arts and Culture Bursary
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is offering bursary funding for students studying selected scarce and critical skills programmes linked to the arts, culture and heritage sectors.
The bursary is aimed at qualifying KwaZulu-Natal residents aged between 18 and 35 who have completed Grade 12 / Matric and are studying, or intend to study, an eligible qualification at a public higher-education institution.
Preference may be given to students studying at institutions within KwaZulu-Natal, unless the relevant qualification is not offered within the province.
What the Bursary Covers
The bursary may cover:
- Tuition fees.
- Accommodation.
- Meals or stipends.
- Prescribed textbooks.
- Prescribed learning materials where necessary.
The exact bursary value is not specified, and funding is subject to the final award made to the successful applicant.
Who Can Apply?
Applicants should:
- Be between 18 and 35 years old.
- Reside in KwaZulu-Natal.
- Have Grade 12 / Matric or an applicable current statement of results.
- Be studying or intending to study one of the advertised qualifications.
- Be studying full-time.
- Attend, or intend to attend, a public higher-education institution.
- Have admission, provisional acceptance or relevant proof of application where applicable.
Youth with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
The advert does not specify a minimum academic percentage, fixed household-income ceiling or a requirement that the applicant must personally be unemployed.
Eligible Qualifications
The bursary is available for the following advertised qualifications:
- National Diploma: Fine Arts
- National Diploma: Fashion Design
- National Diploma: Jewellery Design & Manufacture
- National Diploma: Video Technology
- National Diploma: Graphic Design
- National Diploma: Integrated Communication Design / Sound Engineering & Production
- Bachelor of Applied Arts: Screen Arts & Technology
- Postgraduate Diploma in Language Practice
- Postgraduate Diploma: Archives & Records Management
- Postgraduate Diploma / Honours Degree in Museum & Heritage Studies
Museum and Heritage Studies Fields
For the Museum and Heritage Studies postgraduate pathway, the advert identifies areas including:
- Collection Management
- Critical Heritage
- Object Analysis and Curating
- Restoration and Conservation
Applicants whose qualification is only broadly related should confirm eligibility with the Department before applying.
Required Documents
Applicants should prepare:
- Completed official bursary application form.
- Certified copy of applicant’s ID.
- Certified copies of parent or guardian ID documents where applicable.
- Death certificates where applicable.
- Matric / Grade 12 certificate or current statement of results.
- Proof of household income and expenditure.
- Relevant payslips, pension payout, SASSA letter or bank statement where applicable.
- Proof of parental unemployment or affidavit where applicable.
- Proof of registration, acceptance or provisional acceptance.
- Proof of CAO application where applicable.
- Proof of residence from the ward councillor.
- Certified profiling certificate where applicable for applicants with disabilities.
Financial supporting documents should generally not be older than three months where specified.
How to Get the Application Form
According to the advert, bursary application forms may be obtained from:
- Departmental offices.
- Public libraries.
- Departmental website or published channels.
- Departmental social-media platforms.
- Higher-education institution funding offices.
Applicants should ensure they obtain the official 2027 bursary application form.
How to Apply
This is a paper-based application.
Applications must be submitted by post or hand delivery. No email or online application submission method is provided in the advert.
Applicants must submit their completed application to:
The Bursary Unit
Department of Sport, Arts & Culture
171 Boshoff Street
Pietermaritzburg
3201
Click here to visit the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture website
Applicants should confirm the receiving address with the Department before travelling or posting documents.
Important Application Information
Applicants should note that:
- Downloading or obtaining the form is not the same as submitting an application.
- Completed applications must be posted or hand delivered.
- Applicants should apply only for the specific qualifications listed in the advert.
- Funding is limited.
- Meeting the requirements does not guarantee a bursary.
- Preference may be given to students studying within KwaZulu-Natal.
- Successful applicants will enter into a bursary agreement.
- Youth with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Applicants who do not receive feedback within four months after the closing date should consider their applications unsuccessful.
Closing Date
30 November 2026
No specific closing time is stated in the advert.
Applicants using the postal option should submit early enough to ensure their documents reach the Department before the deadline.