The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has developed national standards since its founding in 1945, and today it also tests and certifies products and audits management systems. SABS also lists a bursary for undergraduate study on its careers section. On 1 October 2026 the SABS bursary page gave no application window, closing date, form or contact person, so no SABS round for 2027 is open.
Four things SABS says about its bursary
The SABS page is brief. SABS says that its bursary:
- is open to South Africans going into tertiary education;
- supports study towards an undergraduate qualification;
- pays for tuition, textbooks and accommodation, and adds mentoring support;
- goes to students who do well academically and can prove financial need.
SABS does not publish a list of fields, a minimum mark, an age limit or a bursary value. Older adverts circulating on bursary list websites quote figures and dates that SABS itself does not confirm, so treat them with caution until SABS posts a new call.
Reading the hints: proof of need and good marks
The two selection words SABS uses, “academically deserving” and “proven financial need”, tell you what to prepare. Keep your latest results (your Grade 11 and June Grade 12 reports if you are in matric, or your university transcript), a certified copy of your ID, and proof of your household’s income ready, because almost every needs-based bursary asks for these. When SABS publishes its next call, check its own document list and follow it exactly.
Standards work draws on engineers, chemists, IT specialists and auditors, and SABS’s careers page names career paths from auditing and product development to finance, IT and marketing. If those fields interest you, apply to other funders at the same time; the engineering bursaries and science bursaries lists cover many with fixed annual windows.
Where SABS posts calls
Bookmark the SABS bursary opportunities page and the careers page on the SABS website, where SABS advertises its vacancies and programmes. Do not pay anyone who claims to sell SABS bursary places or application forms. SABS has also been linked to other student opportunities, such as the SABS ARSO essay competition.