City of Cape Town Bursaries 2027: Apply for Scarce Skills Funding

The City of Cape Town is inviting eligible South African students residing in Cape Town to apply for its 2027 Bursary Programme. This opportunity focuses on supporting studies in fields identified as scarce skills, aiming to develop professionals needed by the municipality.

Application Closing Date: 17 August 2026
Location: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Programme Duration: Not specified
Stipend: Not specified (covers registration, examination, and tuition fees)
Minimum Qualification: Matric with a 65% average

About the City of Cape Town Bursary Programme 2027

The City of Cape Town offers bursary funding to students pursuing qualifications that align with the municipality’s critical and scarce skills needs. This programme supports both undergraduate and postgraduate studies, including Honours, Master’s, and Doctoral qualifications. The goal is to build a skilled workforce that can contribute to municipal services, planning, finance, technology, and environmental management.

Scarce skills are areas where there is a shortage of qualified professionals in the job market. By funding studies in these areas, the City of Cape Town aims to address these gaps and ensure it has the necessary expertise to serve its residents effectively. The bursary is designed to assist students who are committed to developing their careers within the Western Cape.

About the City of Cape Town

The City of Cape Town is the local government responsible for the administration of the city and its surrounding areas. It provides a wide range of municipal services to its residents, including water, sanitation, electricity, waste management, public transport, and urban planning. The municipality plays a vital role in the economic and social development of the Western Cape region.

The City is committed to attracting and developing talent to ensure the effective delivery of services. Initiatives like the bursary programme are part of its strategy to build a capable and professional workforce that can meet the challenges of urban management and development.

Available Bursary Opportunities

The City of Cape Town bursary will support studies in the following scarce-skills fields:

• Accounting
• Auditing
• Internal Auditing
• Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Chemical Science
• Contract Management
• Data Science
• Statistics
• Economics
• Civil Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Environmental Management
• Water Sciences
• Ecology
• Geographic Information Systems
• Geohydrology
• Information Technology
• Information Systems
• Information Management
• Law
• Library Sciences
• Logistics Management
• Marine Biology
• Microbiology
• Atmospheric Science
• Regional Planning
• Urban Planning
• Town Planning
• Project Management
• Industrial Psychology
• Organisational Psychology
• Water and Waste Management
• Water Quality
• Urban Design
• Landscape-related studies
• Surveying
• Architecture

Qualifications outside these listed areas may not be considered unless specifically approved by the City.

What the Bursary Offers

The City of Cape Town bursary provides financial support for essential study-related expenses. Successful applicants can expect the following costs to be covered:

• Registration fees
• Examination fees
• Tuition fees

The provided information does not confirm funding for accommodation, meals, transport, textbooks, laptops, study equipment, or personal allowances. Applicants should budget for these additional expenses themselves.

Programme Duration and Location

The bursary is intended for students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. The exact duration of the bursary support will depend on the specific qualification being studied. The programme is specifically for residents of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.

Minimum Requirements

To be considered for the City of Cape Town Bursary Programme 2027, applicants must meet all the following criteria:

• Be South African citizens.
• Reside in Cape Town, Western Cape.
• Be currently completing Matric or have already completed Matric.
• Have achieved a minimum overall Matric average of 65%.
• Be studying or planning to study towards one of the listed scarce-skills qualifications.
• Intend to study full-time, with limited exceptions for part-time studies if a qualification is not offered full-time.
• Be registered or accepted at a recognised and accredited South African tertiary institution.
• Not be receiving another bursary or financial assistance for the same studies.
• Not be funded by NSFAS.

Competencies Required

While specific competencies are not detailed