Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) has run Cape Town’s main commuter bus service since 1861 and is owned by Hosken Consolidated Investments. Golden Arrow offers a bursary for one field only: BSc Computer Science, from second year onwards. Golden Arrow has not advertised a 2027 intake, and its own website carries no bursary information. The most recent terms we could find come from a 2025 information sheet that the University of Cape Town published on Golden Arrow’s behalf.
Only Computer Science, and only after first year
Golden Arrow does not fund school leavers or first-year students, and it does not fund engineering, IT diplomas or other computing degrees. According to the 2025 sheet, the bursary is open to:
- South African citizens studying BSc Computer Science, from second year
- students from households earning no more than R400 000 a year combined
- students living with a disability, from households earning no more than R600 000 a year
- SASSA grant recipients, whom Golden Arrow treats as qualifying for funding
Costs pegged to DHET guidelines and a R4 000 stipend
Golden Arrow sizes its payments for accommodation, tuition and transport against the latest guidelines approved by the national Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). For accommodation, Golden Arrow pays what the university actually charges. A student in private accommodation gets no more than the cost of a university residence. On top of that, Golden Arrow pays a monthly allowance of R4 000 for incidental study costs, or another amount that Golden Arrow sets from time to time.
A year at Golden Arrow for each year funded
Applicants must be willing to work for Golden Arrow after graduating, for one year per year of funding. A student funded for second and third year would owe two years. That service would be in a bus business whose own systems include route timetables and the Gold Card ticketing products, so think about whether that suits your plans before you sign.
Paperwork Golden Arrow listed in 2025
- certified copy of your ID
- certified copies of your previous academic transcripts
- confirmation of enrolment from your university
- proof of address
- proof of household income or funding, such as payslips or bank statements
- recommendation letters, usually from academic or professional referees
- a disability assessment report, if it applies to you
- your parents’ death certificates, if you are an orphan
No published closing date: ask Golden Arrow directly
The 2025 sheet gave no closing date and no application address. It named Golden Arrow’s education, training and development office as the contact: raymonddakuse@gabs.co.za or 021 003 8555. Before you send documents, email that office to ask whether Golden Arrow is taking applications for 2027 and how it wants them submitted. The general company site is Golden Arrow’s website, but it does not list the bursary.
Because this bursary is narrow and its timing is unclear, Computer Science students should also apply elsewhere. The BBD bursary and the Sage external bursary both fund computing degrees, and our IT bursaries list covers the rest.