The Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund invites eligible South African law students to apply for the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund Bursary Programme for the 2027 academic year.
Bursary Application Closing Date: 15 August 2026 at midnight
Bursary Location: Recognised public universities in South Africa
Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund Bursary Programme 2027
The Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund Bursary is available to qualifying undergraduate and postgraduate law students studying at recognised public universities in South Africa.
The bursary provides financial assistance for tuition fees only. Applicants must meet the academic, citizenship, study-level and institutional requirements for their selected bursary category.
Applications must be submitted online through the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund student portal before midnight on 15 August 2026.
Bursary Programme Overview
Bursary provider: Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund
Abbreviation: LPFF
Academic year: 2027
Primary field of study: Law
Institution requirement: Recognised South African public university
Expenses covered: Tuition fees only
Application method: Online
Closing date: 15 August 2026 at midnight
What Is the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund?
The Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund, previously known as the Attorneys Fidelity Fund, is a statutory fidelity guarantee fund established under the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014.
Its primary purpose is to protect members of the public who suffer financial loss when money or property held in trust by a legal practitioner is stolen or misappropriated.
The Fund also supports the legal profession through initiatives that include:
- Law bursaries
- Legal education
- Regulatory funding
- Public-protection measures
Fields of Study Covered
The bursary supports eligible students pursuing studies in the Law field.
Qualifying programmes include:
- Bachelor of Laws
- BCom Law, where the student intends to transfer to an LLB programme
- BA Law, where the student intends to transfer to an LLB programme
- Postgraduate law studies for applicants who meet the applicable professional and employment requirements
The bursary does not fund first-year LLB students.
What Does the LPFF Bursary Cover?
The bursary provides funding for:
- Tuition fees only
The bursary does not cover:
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Books
- Transport
- Living expenses
- Personal allowances
- Electronic equipment
- Other study-related expenses not included under tuition
Applicants should make separate arrangements for costs not covered by the bursary.
Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements
Undergraduate applicants must:
- Be South African citizens or permanent residents.
- Study at a recognised and accredited public university in South Africa.
- Meet the applicable LLB study-level requirements.
- Have achieved at least a 50% average in their latest academic results.
- Read and agree to the bursary rules.
Applicants must also fall within one of the following study categories:
- Be studying towards an LLB in the second or third year and entering the third or fourth year.
- Have completed a BA Law or BCom Law degree and be transferring into the final two years of an LLB programme.
- Be in the third year of an extended LLB programme and entering the fourth or fifth year.
First-year LLB students are not eligible for funding under the stated criteria.
Postgraduate Eligibility Requirements
Postgraduate applicants must:
- Be South African citizens or permanent residents.
- Have completed an LLB qualification.
- Have achieved at least a 50% average in their latest academic results.
- Study at a recognised public university in South Africa.
- Be practising attorneys or candidate attorneys.
- Be employed by a legal practising firm.
- Read and agree to the bursary rules.
Students employed by state entities are not eligible for postgraduate funding under the stated requirements.
Academic Requirements
Applicants must have achieved a minimum average of:
50% in their latest academic results
Applicants should submit a complete and current academic transcript showing:
- Subjects completed
- Marks obtained
- Qualification title
- Current academic level
- Name of the university
- Academic progress
Meeting the minimum average does not automatically guarantee that a bursary will be awarded.
Citizenship and Permanent Residence
The bursary is open to:
- South African citizens
- South African permanent residents
Applicants relying on permanent-resident status must provide certified proof of permanent residence.
Public University Requirement
Applicants must be studying at a recognised and accredited public university in South Africa.
The supplied information does not indicate that private higher-education institutions are eligible.
Applicants should ensure that the institution and qualification details entered on the online portal are accurate.
Required Supporting Documents
Applicants must upload clear copies of the following documents:
- A recent digital photograph.
- A certified copy of the applicant’s South African identity document or passport.
- Certified proof of permanent residence, where applicable.
- The latest academic transcript.
- A university testimonial letter.
- Proof of employment or the latest payslip, where applicable.
Incomplete applications may be disqualified.
University Testimonial Letter
Applicants must include a testimonial letter from their university.
The letter should preferably confirm relevant information such as:
- The student’s name.
- Student number.
- Qualification.
- Current year of study.
- Academic standing.
- Registration status.
- Conduct or suitability, where included by the institution.
Applicants should request this document early to avoid delays before the closing date.
Employment Documents for Postgraduate Applicants
Postgraduate applicants who are practising attorneys or candidate attorneys may be required to provide:
- Proof of employment.
- Their latest payslip.
- Confirmation that they are employed at a legal practising firm.
- Any other professional information requested through the portal.
Applicants employed by state entities do not meet the stated postgraduate eligibility requirements.
Application Portal Requirements
Applicants will need:
- A South African identity number or passport number.
- A valid cellphone number.
- A valid email address.
- Clear electronic copies of all supporting documents.
Applications can be completed using:
- A mobile phone
- A tablet
- A computer
Applicants can save an incomplete application and continue later.
Draft applications may also be cancelled before final submission.
Tracking Your Application
Applicants can track the progress of their bursary application through their LPFF Student Profile.
Applicants should retain:
- Their login details.
- Their application reference, where issued.
- Copies of all uploaded documents.
- Confirmation of final submission.
Saving an application as a draft does not mean that it has been submitted.
How to Apply for the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund Bursary 2027
Applications must be submitted online through the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund Bursary Application Portal.
Click here to apply for the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund Bursary 2027
Applicants should:
- Open the LPFF student portal.
- Register a new profile or sign in.
- Select the relevant bursary application.
- Complete all compulsory personal and academic information.
- Enter the correct university and qualification details.
- Upload all required supporting documents.
- Review the bursary rules.
- Confirm that all information is accurate.
- Submit the application before midnight on 15 August 2026.
- Track the application through the LPFF Student Profile.
Bursary Application Closing Date
Applications close on:
15 August 2026 at midnight
Late applications will not be accepted.
Applicants should submit early to avoid technical difficulties, document-upload problems or delays close to the deadline.
Bursary Enquiries
For LLB and LLM bursary enquiries, contact:
Email: LLBbursary@fidfund.co.za
For technical support with the online application portal, contact:
Email: ict.helpdesk@fidfund.co.za
Important Application Checklist
Before submitting the application, confirm that:
- You are a South African citizen or permanent resident.
- You study at a recognised public university.
- You meet the applicable undergraduate or postgraduate criteria.
- You achieved at least a 50% academic average.
- You are not applying as a first-year LLB student.
- Your digital photograph is attached.
- Your identity document or passport is certified.
- Your permanent-residence proof is attached, where applicable.
- Your latest academic transcript is included.
- Your university testimonial letter is attached.
- Your proof of employment or payslip is included, where applicable.
- Your contact details are correct.
- Your application is fully submitted by midnight on 15 August 2026.