Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education (SITFE) Bursary South Africa 2026

 

ABOUT THE BURSARY PROVIDER – SITFE

The Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education (SITFE) was founded as a private sector initiative in the year 1965, and is currently one of South Africa’s oldest Trust Funds. The SITFE’s main aim is to promote and support high quality, sustainable education within the sugarcane growing areas of South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga).

Since its inception, the organisation has provided support for a range of educational programmes and projects, from bursaries; to arts and culture; teacher development and infrastructure development. Bursaries have been allocated to more than 10 200 learners, as well as funding for school building projects, tertiary institution financial support for working alongside specialist educational organizations.
 

ABOUT THE SITFE BURSARY PROGRAMME – FIELDS COVERED

The Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education (SITFE) is inviting students to apply for their bursary programme, for the 2026 academic year.

Bursaries will be awarded to students residing in the sugarcane growing provinces (KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga), for Agriculture studies at one of the following institutions:

  • Cedara College of Agriculture
  • Owen Sithole College of Agriculture
  • University of Mpumalanga

 

** RELATED BURSARIES **

 

MORE ABOUT THE SITFE BURSARY PROGRAMME – SELECTION

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted in first week of December 2025 and required to attend an interview in mid December 2025.

www.zabursaries.co.za is committed to keeping you up to date with the latest bursary opportunities, and this article covers all details about the SITFE Bursary.

Shortlisted candidates will be initially selected based on their Grade 11 final results and Matric June results (if currently in Matric or not studying yet) or latest tertiary results (if currently studying). Final selection will be based on Matric final results.

Successful candidates will be contacted by no later than 31 January 2026 – if you do not receive any feedback by this date, please consider your application unsuccessful.

SITFE reserves the right to cancel the bursary award if candidates receive other full bursary funding or loans.
 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SITFE BURSARY

Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):

  • You must be a South African citizen
  • You must be a resident of a sugarcane growing province: KwaZulu-Natal or Mpumalanga
  • You must be currently in Matric or have completed Matric
  • You must have applied or registered to study within the Faculty Agriculture at a College of Agriculture or a Diploma in Agriculture at University of Mpumalanga
  • You must be from the “missing middle” – you must have a household income of between R350 000 and R600 000 per annum
  • Preference will be given to children of the sugarcane farmworkers, disadvantaged applicants 1st year students from sugarcane growing areas, where mills and sugar industry administrative infrastructure are located

 

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE SITFE BURSARY

Applications can be submitted in either of the following ways (please only submit your application once):

Completed application forms must be submitted in one of the following ways:

Enter “www.zabursaries.co.za” in the field asking how you heard about the SITFE bursary.
 

Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your application (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):

  • ID document (certified copy)
  • Matric final trial results and statement of results/ certificate (certified copy)
  • Tertiary final exam results, if currently studying (certified copy)
  • Proof of connection to the sugar industry connection, if applicable
  • Proof of parents or guardians household income (payslips if employed, pension receipts if on pension, affidavit if unemployed) (certified copy)
  • Death certificate if a parent is deceased (certified copy)
  • Proof of application or registration at an University, University of Technology or Agricultural College for 2026 (on institutions letterhead)

 

CLOSING DATE FOR THE SITFE BURSARY

21 November 2025.
(Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted – please apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)
 

CONTACT THE BURSARY PROVIDER

For any queries related to this bursary programme, please contact the Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education (SITFE) directly:
Tel: 031 508 7034
Fax: 031 508 7191
Email: bursaries@sasa.org.za
 

Please do NOT contact The SITFE if this bursary has already closed. View our other bursaries open for application here: https://www.zabursaries.co.za/bursary-news/

This bursary listing was last updated in October 2025.

SA Bursaries wishes you the best of luck with your application! Please remember to SHARE this page with anyone you know who may be in need of bursary funding.