Young South Africans intending to pursue careers in engineering, business, agriculture or technology can explore the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Bursary Programme as a funding option for tertiary study.
The programme targets students who satisfy the academic and citizenship requirements and study fields that the organisation considers to be important.
The most essential consideration before applying is understanding the difference between academic requirements for matric students and tertiary students.
Who can qualify for the IDC bursary?
The bursary is open to South African citizens who satisfy the age and academic requirements.
Applicants must be at least 16 years old and not older than 26.
The academic requirement will depend on whether the applicant is at matric level or already at tertiary level.
Matric applicants
Applicants who are about to complete matric must satisfy the following:
A minimum overall average of 75%
South African citizenship
An age of between 16 and 26 years
Meeting the minimum average does not guarantee selection. Students must still satisfy the academic and other requirements of the programme.
Tertiary students
Students already at tertiary institutions are required to meet a lower academic standard.
Applicants must have:
A minimum overall average of 65%
South African citizenship
An age of between 16 and 26 years
Notably, many students who have already been admitted to tertiary institutions overlook this threshold.
Which study fields are supported?
The IDC bursary targets specific fields of study that are relevant to skills development and the organisation’s human-capital focus areas.
The supported fields of study include:
Engineering
Engineering students can apply to the bursary programme as long as their qualification is covered by the scheme.
Business and Economics
Students who are pursuing business-related degrees will find the bursary relevant.
Agricultural Science
Agricultural Science is another field that is covered by the scheme, giving students in this area an opportunity to apply.
Computer Science
Computer Science is also a covered field. Students who intend to pursue it should consider the bursary.
Why the IDC supports student development
The bursary scheme is part of the IDC’s larger human-capital development objective.
In other words, students should not only consider the money but also the fact that they are about to enter into a field that is important to the country.
The IDC indicates that its human-capital development strategy also supports its recruitment and development needs.
The academic requirement deserves close attention
One of the most obvious points of screening is academic performance.
Matric students need at least 75%, and tertiary students need at least 65%.
Students should, therefore, check their academic performance before they apply.
It is also vital to remember that the average is not the only consideration. Students should also confirm that their area of study is covered by the bursary.
A bursary is not simply about choosing a popular qualification
Students can easily overlook the areas of study and proceed to apply on the assumption that any degree will do.
In the case of the IDC Bursary, the fields of study are specific:
Engineering
Business and Economics
Agricultural Science
Computer Science
Students, therefore, need to confirm that their area of study is covered by the scheme.
Doing so will save them the trouble of preparing an application when they are not qualified.
What students should check before applying
Before applying, students should ask themselves a series of questions to guide them.
Are you between the ages of 16 and 26 years?
Are you a South African citizen?
Do you have at least 75% if you are a matric student or at least 65% if you are at tertiary level?
Is the qualification you intend to pursue or are pursuing one of the following: Engineering, Business and Economics, Agricultural Science, or Computer Science?
Have you checked the application requirements and supporting documents?
By asking themselves these questions, students can eliminate the guesswork when applying.
What this means for prospective applicants
The IDC Bursary is an option for young South Africans to fund their studies.
However, students should not assume that meeting the minimum mark will see them selected. The requirements define the applicants’ suitability; the selection is a separate consideration.
Students should also ask themselves whether they are eligible before they proceed to apply.
They should also use the most recent information to apply. At the time of the information supplied for this article, the closing date, the amount of the bursary and the application procedure were not provided, so students should not assume that it is the case.
IDC Bursary Programme 2027: Key facts
Requirement Description
Programme IDC Bursary Programme
Organisation Industrial Development Corporation
Citizenship South African citizens
Age 16 to 26 years
Matric academic requirement 75% or more
Tertiary academic requirement 65% or more
Supported fields Engineering, Business and Economics, Agricultural Science, Computer Science
Closing date Not provided in the supplied programme information
Bursary amount Not provided in the supplied programme information
Tips for students considering the programme
Check the average requirement closely. You might want to look at your results to confirm that you meet the requirements.
Do not assume that any course will do. Confirm that the qualification you are pursuing or intend to pursue fall under one of the supported fields of study.
Check your age to confirm that you fall within the specified range.
Keep your supporting documents at hand. You might need your academic results or proof of citizenship when applying.
Always use the most recent information. Details such as the closing date, the application procedure and other requirements can change, so students should double-check with the organisation before applying.
Never pay to apply for the bursary. Students should be wary of people or organisations that suggest that they can pay to guarantee a bursary.
Why students should start preparing early
Applicants will be required to supply academic information, which means that waiting until the closing date to apply becomes unwise.
Students that are considering applying for the bursary can start by asking themselves whether they meet the basic requirements.
They should then determine which study field they would consider before they look up the application procedure and deadline.
The most important step is to use the most recent official information when applying.
Source and verification
The information in this article is based on the IDC bursary details supplied for publication. The requirements include age, academic averages, citizenship and the fields of study covered by the scheme. Other considerations such as the amount of the bursary, closing date and other requirements have not been included because they were not part of the information supplied.
Editorial policy
This article aims to supply useful information and is not intended to mislead South African readers. Programme requirements are factual information and applicants should confirm that they meet the current requirements before applying.
Fact-checking policy
Eligibility information has been checked against the information supplied to the editorial team. The closing date, funding amount and application procedure were not confirmed and, therefore, should not be taken as fact.
Corrections policy
If an error is discovered, the article should be revised and corrected according to the most reliable information. Significant errors should be noted in the published article.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational purposes only. Meeting the requirements of the programme does not guarantee that an applicant will receive the bursary. Applicants should confirm the current requirements and procedure from the IDC before applying.
