FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Honours Bursary 2026
FREF HONOURS BURSARY – PROGRAMME OVERVIEW / DESCRIPTION (UPDATED)
- Programme Title:
- FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Honours Bursary (South Africa) – 2026
- Organisation:
- FirstRand Empowerment Foundation (FREF)
Programme Purpose
The FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Honours Bursary supports academically strong, financially deserving South African students pursuing their first postgraduate (Honours) qualification. The bursary aims to develop graduates in critical areas that drive national economic growth, innovation, and social transformation—especially among previously disadvantaged groups.
Programme Description
The bursary provides comprehensive financial support for a full-time one-year Honours degree at any public university in South Africa. Funding includes:
Tuition fees
Book allowance
Travel or living allowance
Food vouchers
Airtime allocation
The programme targets students who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a desire to use their education to positively impact South Africa’s economy and society.
Funded Fields of Study
The FREF Honours Bursary funds postgraduate (Bachelor of Honours) studies in the following fields:
Accounting
Actuarial Science
Agricultural Sciences
BA Arts (Psychology)
Biosciences
Business Information
Climate Sciences
Computer Science
Data Science
Economics
Electronics
Engineering
Environmental Sciences
Financial Management
Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Information Management
Information Science
Information Systems
Information Technology
Mathematical Sciences
Mathematics
Physics
Renewable Energy
Risk
Sciences
Society and Sustainability
Statistics
These fields are chosen due to their alignment with national development priorities, scarce skills needs, and emerging industry demands.
Key Focus Areas of the Programme
Promoting access to higher education for disadvantaged students
Supporting postgraduate development in scarce-skill and high-impact fields
Advancing transformation through B-BBEE-aligned initiatives
Developing future leaders and problem-solvers
Encouraging contributions to South Africa’s socio-economic development
Candidate Profile
Ideal applicants:
Maintain strong academic performance
Demonstrate financial need
Plan to study full-time at a South African public university
Are passionate about contributing to their field and community
Meet all minimum eligibility criteria (including age, citizenship, income, and academic requirements)
Programme Benefits
Full academic and essential living-cost support
Opportunity to obtain an Honours qualification without financial burden
Increased employability through advanced studies
Inclusion in a reputable foundation’s development pipeline
Support for personal, academic, and professional growth