FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Honours Bursary South Africa 2026

The FirstRand Empowerment Foundation (FREF), founded in 2005 as part of FirstRand Limited’s broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) initiative, is committed to reducing poverty and inequality by supporting public benefit activities aligned with B-BBEE principles. The foundation’s leadership primarily consists of individuals classified as black under the Financial Sector Charter. FREF envisions a South Africa where all citizens have equitable access to economic opportunities, fostering inclusive growth. By focusing on empowering communities to actively participate in the national economy, the foundation has outlined key strategic areas to drive this mission forward.

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 citizenYou must be between 21 and 35 years oldYou must have completed MatricYou must have achieved a minimum of 60% in Mathematics in Matric (NOT Mathematical Literacy)You must have completed an Undergraduate degree between 2023 and 2025You must have achieved a minimum overall average of 60% in your undergraduate degree studiesYou must be enrolled in a full-time 1 year honors degree programYou must be pursuing your first postgraduate qualificationYou must be studying at a public university in South AfricaYou must have a combined household income NOT more than R700 000 per annum

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Applications must be submitted online at:FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Postgraduate Bursary Application 2026 Enter “www.zabursaries.co.za” in the field asking how you heard about the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation 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 – not older than 6 months)Matric certificate (certified copy)Academic Records (certified copy)Proof of university acceptance/ provisional acceptance for 2026Proof of parents or guardians household income (latest payslips if employed/ affidavit if unemployed/ affidavit stating annual income if self-employed/ most recent audited financial statement or 3 months’ most recent bank statements if they own a business/ SASSA letter stating the grants received if applicable)If disabled: a completedEEA1 form(.pdf) and a valid Doctors note