SABS ARSO Essay Competition South Africa
Make your voice heard with the SABS ARSO Essay Competition 2025! The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), in collaboration with the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), invites tertiary students under 35 to write on “Role of Education about Standardisation (EaS) in shaping Education and African Students for the sustainable Development opportunities and challenges in the 21st Century.” Win bursaries or cash prizes. At BursaryForms, we are your guide to success!
About the SABS / ARSO
The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) is South Africa’s national standards body, playing a pivotal role in developing and enforcing standards to promote safety, consumer protection, trade, and quality. ARSO is an intergovernmental standardisation organisation under the African Union and UNECA, aimed at harmonising standards across African countries. Their joint essay competition promotes awareness of standardisation’s role and encourages students to think critically about its impact. At BursaryForms, we are thrilled to connect you with this opportunity!
Fields Covered by the SABS ARSO Essay Competition
This competition is open to students from any field of study at recognised South African tertiary institutions. Whether your discipline is STEM, Social Sciences, Arts, Commerce, Law, Education or others, you may participate.
Expenses Covered by the SABS ARSO Essay Competition
This is an essay competition rather than a full bursary scheme. The supported rewards include:
- Bursary prizes for top national entries (1st: R150,000; 2nd: R130,000; 3rd: R120,000)
- Cash awards for 4th & 5th national positions (R15,000 each)
- Continental level prizes via ARSO for top entrants forwarded from national winners (e.g. USD amounts and trip awards)
Eligibility Requirements for the SABS ARSO Essay Competition
Think you have got what it takes? Here is what was required in 2025:
- Must be a South African citizen.
- Must be currently registered at a recognized tertiary institution in South Africa (recognized by the National Department of Education / Council for Higher Education)
- 35 years old or younger. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
- Foreign students studying in SA may participate by submitting their entries to their country of origin.
- Must submit original work, only one essay per person.
We are supporting you at BursaryForms! These expert tips can help you prepare a winning essay:
- Ensure your essay meets all formatting rules (word count, font, spacing) to avoid disqualification.
- Reference properly, and check your work for plagiarism. Originality is key.
- Write clearly on how standardisation relates to sustainable development—draw connections to real challenges and opportunities.
- Submit all required documents together (e.g. registration form, ID / passport, essay) before the deadline.
This page was updated on September 30, 2025 to provide the most current bursary information.
Indicate “www.bursaryforms.co.za” when asked how you heard about this bursary.
How to Apply for the SABS ARSO Essay Competition
Apply as follows:
Email to: ESSAYCOMPETITION@sabs.co.za
Subject line: SABS ARSO Essay Competition 2025
Required items (certified / copy where specified):
- Your essay meeting the competition rules (English, 1,000-1,200 words, size 12 Century Gothic, double-spaced)
- Copy of Identity Document or Passport
- Completed and stamped registration form (as per the rules)
Related Bursaries in South Africa
Apply for multiple bursaries in South Africa to increase your chances of receiving funding this year.
Closing Date for the SABS ARSO Essay Competition
31 March 2025
This deadline has passed—applications submitted after that date were not accepted.
Contact the Competition Provider
Got questions? We are here to help:
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)
Email: ESSAYCOMPETITION@sabs.co.za
Website: https://www.sabs.co.za
Frequently Asked Questions
Click each question to see its answer about the SABS ARSO Essay Competition.