Enel Green Power South Africa runs wind and solar plants in several provinces, and it pays for the education of young people from the communities around them. Enel Green Power reports that 177 students have received its bursaries so far. The money does not go to anyone in the country who applies: where your family’s home is matters as much as your marks.
StudyTrust, the national bursary organisation, administers the programme for Enel Green Power RSA. StudyTrust accepted applications for the 2027 academic year from 1 June to 30 September 2026, so the current round has closed. The next window should open on 1 June 2027 if Enel Green Power keeps the same season.
The twelve plant areas Enel Green Power recruits from
Enel Green Power’s bursary page on StudyTrust limits applications to people living in the operational area of one of these projects:
- Adams Solar
- Garob Wind Farm
- Gibson Bay Wind Farm
- Karusa Wind Farm
- Nojoli Wind Farm
- Nxuba Wind Farm
- Oyster Bay Wind Farm
- Paleisheuwel (Electra Capital)
- Pulida Energy
- Soetwater Wind Farm
- Sublunary Trading
- Tom Burke Solar
StudyTrust asks every applicant for proof of address because some of the renewable energy sponsors it works for only consider applicants whose parental home lies within 50 km of the plant. If you are not sure whether your town falls inside an Enel Green Power area, ask StudyTrust before you apply rather than guessing. Other wind and solar projects run their own community schemes; the Kangnas Wind Farm bursary is one example from the Northern Cape.
Matric, TVET, diploma or degree: what Enel Green Power funds
Enel Green Power does not restrict the field of study. Its StudyTrust page invites current Grade 12 learners and current tertiary students who are South African citizens and who plan to study at a South African TVET college, university of technology or university. NQF level 4 technical and vocational programmes, national diplomas and degrees all qualify.
StudyTrust sets the value of each Enel Green Power bursary per student. The money may go towards:
- tuition, registration and examination fees
- a room in a residence or equivalent accommodation
- meals
- textbooks, stationery and other learning materials
Enel Green Power’s own article on the programme also describes high-school bursaries covering school fees, uniforms, stationery, textbooks and transport for learners in Grades 8 to 11, and says applicants should have an overall pass of at least 65% and come from a household earning under R357,000 a year. The StudyTrust page for the current round mentions only Grade 12 learners and tertiary students and gives no percentage, so treat the high-school bursary as something to ask Enel Green Power about directly.
How StudyTrust picks Enel Green Power bursars
Selection rests on two things: academic results (StudyTrust uses your latest marks) and financial need, meaning your family cannot afford to keep you in tertiary education. Because StudyTrust matches one application against every sponsor it manages, a strong application from an Enel Green Power area can also be considered for other bursaries, such as the Toyota SA Motors bursary, if you meet their rules.
Getting ready for the June window
Applications go only through StudyTrust’s online form, which opens on the StudyTrust bursary applications page. The form cannot be submitted until every document is uploaded, so collect these well before June:
- Your ID, certified.
- Your latest academic record: final Grade 11 results plus the June report if you are in matric, your NSC results if you have finished school, or your first-semester results if you are already studying.
- Proof of your parental home address inside one of the plant areas.
- Proof of income for both parents or guardians: payslips, an affidavit if a parent is unemployed or self-employed, SASSA letters or death certificates where they apply.
- A recent head-and-shoulders photo.
StudyTrust also asks for essays written in your own words and says it will not consider applications written by AI. Questions go to apply@studytrust.org.za. StudyTrust warns that it never sells bursaries or works through agents, so ignore anyone who offers to apply on your behalf for a fee. Details are on StudyTrust’s Enel Green Power RSA bursary page, and more community-linked funders appear on our general bursaries list.