The Funza Lushaka Bursary is a South African government initiative geared toward addressing the lack of skilled teachers from the country.

It provides monetary assistance to suitable students who need to go after a teaching qualification in locations which are crucial for the education and learning sector.

The Funza Lushaka bursary is intended to promote teaching being a occupation by funding college students to study for the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The bursary covers fields with a specific shortage of teachers, including:

- 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**: Needs to be a South African citizen with a valid ID.
2. **Study Requirements**: Should plan to enroll or already be enrolled in a full-time teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE) in a regarded South African university.
3. **Educational Performance**:
- First-time university entrants needs to have an admission point rating (APS) that qualifies them for admission right into a teaching qualification.
- Returning students ought to display satisfactory educational efficiency.
4. **Field of Study**: Have to intend to educate within a precedence subject area as recognized from the Department of Basic Education.
5. **Commitment to Educating**: Applicants need to reveal a motivation to educating and an knowledge of its great importance in society.
6. **Age**: Applicants really should not be older than 30 years once they apply.

*** Application Process For the Funza Lushaka Bursary:

1. ** Online Application**:
- Applications are submitted on the web throughout the official Funza Lushaka bursary procedure (about the Department of Basic Education's dedicated Web page for Funza Lushaka).
- The applying window normally opens towards the top with the academic 12 months and closes early the following calendar year (ordinarily November to January).
2. **Documentation**:
- Certified copies of ID, educational results, and evidence of university registration are required.
3. **Selection Process**:
- Preference is given to applicants from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The application goes by means of a selection approach according to the necessity for teachers in certain subjects and locations.

***Exactly what does The Bursary Cover?:
The bursary covers the subsequent expenses:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and foods
- Books and learning components
- 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 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 Funza is subject to satisfactory academic performance.