Apply guides

Step-by-step apply guides

Clear, no-fluff guides on how to apply for South African government programmes, youth opportunities, and major employers — with eligibility, documents, and exact steps.

Allan Gray Orbis Foundation

Allan Gray Orbis Fellowship 2026: how to apply

Full-cost undergraduate fellowship at 11 SA partner universities, plus mentorship, entrepreneurial curriculum and a lifelong alumni network. Highly selective — historical acceptance rate is ~2–3%.

Updated 17 May 2026

APS for SA universities

APS Score Calculator 2026: how to calculate your APS

The standard 1–7 scale on your 6 best subjects gets you to 42 — but UCT (FPS), Stellenbosch (TPT) and Wits (7 subjects) all use variations. Here's the full breakdown plus 2026 thresholds for the biggest programmes.

Updated 17 May 2026

BANKSETA — Banking sector

BANKSETA learnerships 2026: how to apply

BANKSETA runs Letsema (post-matric) and Kuyasa (graduate) plus accredits bank-run learnerships at every major SA bank. ~75% of completers go on to full-time banking employment.

Updated 17 May 2026

Bursary hub

South African bursaries 2026: complete guide

Every major SA bursary for the 2026/2027 academic cycle — categorised, with eligibility, closing dates, work-back rules, and links to deep-dive guides for the biggest funders.

Updated 17 May 2026

Gauteng — Public TVET

Ekurhuleni East TVET College: 2026 application guide

EETC serves Springs, Brakpan, Benoni, Kwa-Thema and Daveyton — with the Artisan & Skills Development Centre in Springs offering trade tests in electrical, plumbing, fitting and turning, boilermaking and more.

Updated 17 May 2026

Government employment programme

How to apply for EPWP work in 2026

EPWP is South Africa's biggest public works programme — 1.7 million work opportunities created in Phase V so far. New for 2026: digital recruitment via SA Youth, cutting out the ward-councillor gatekeeping.

Updated 17 May 2026

Eskom — Electricity utility

How to apply for Eskom jobs

Eskom hires engineers, artisans, plant operators and bursars through one portal — eskomcareers.ci.hr. Free, online only, and never via WhatsApp.

Updated 17 May 2026

Western Cape — Public TVET

False Bay TVET College: 2026 application guide

ISO 9001:2015 certified, ~11,000 students, 5 campuses across the southern Cape Peninsula. Strong in hospitality, maritime studies, engineering and IT.

Updated 17 May 2026

DBE — Teaching bursary

Funza Lushaka Bursary 2026: how to apply

Full-cost teaching bursary for B.Ed students in priority subjects. Run by the Department of Basic Education with NSFAS handling disbursement. Year-for-year teaching work-back at a public school.

Updated 17 May 2026

TVET application

How to apply to a TVET college in South Africa 2026

Practical step-by-step — pick your college, pick your programme, get certified copies, apply online via Coltech (or the college's portal), then apply for NSFAS separately.

Updated 17 May 2026

HWSETA — Health & welfare

HWSETA learnerships 2026: how to apply

HWSETA funds Pharmacist Assistant, Auxiliary Nursing, Phlebotomy, Social Auxiliary Work and more. The Pharmacist Assistant pathway (Basic → Post-Basic → B.Pharm) is the most accessible route into pharmacy.

Updated 17 May 2026

INSETA — Insurance sector

INSETA learnerships 2026: how to apply

INSETA funds 46 learnership categories across short-term, long-term, wealth management and financial advisory. Most lead to the RE5 regulatory exam — the gateway to FSCA Representative registration.

Updated 17 May 2026

KwaZulu-Natal — Public TVET

Majuba TVET College: 2026 application guide

One of KZN's largest TVET colleges, headquartered in Newcastle with 6 campuses across northern KZN. Strong in engineering, artisan trades and business studies.

Updated 17 May 2026

MERSETA — Manufacturing & engineering

MERSETA learnerships and apprenticeships 2026

MERSETA funds 100+ programmes across 6 chambers — Metal & Engineering, Auto, Motor Retail, Components, Tyre, Plastics. Apprenticeships end with the Trade Test and Red Seal artisan qualification.

Updated 17 May 2026

MICT SETA — IT, telecoms & media

MICT SETA learnerships 2026: how to apply

MICT SETA covers 5 sub-sectors — IT, telecoms, electronics, advertising and film. Apply through host companies (MTN, Vodacom, Telkom) or accredited providers — never directly to MICT SETA.

Updated 17 May 2026

MQA — Mining sector

MQA mining learnerships 2026: how to apply

MQA funds learnerships across SA's mining houses — Anglo American, Sibanye-Stillwater, Harmony, Exxaro, Sasol Mining and more. Higher stipends than most SETAs, with a clear pathway to permanent mining roles.

Updated 17 May 2026

MTN — Telecoms

How to apply for MTN jobs in South Africa

MTN advertises every legitimate job on the Y'ello Family portal. Here's the step-by-step from registration to offer — and the WhatsApp scams to ignore along the way.

Updated 17 May 2026

UNISA — Distance learning

myUnisa Student Portal 2026: how to log in and use it

myUnisa is the central portal for SA's ~400,000-student distance learning university. With myLife email, myModules LMS, online exams and applications — here's how to use every UNISA portal.

Updated 17 May 2026

Higher education funding

How to apply for NSFAS in 2026

NSFAS funds tuition, accommodation, transport and food for South African students at public universities and TVET colleges. Here's exactly how to apply, what to upload, and what to do if you're rejected.

Updated 17 May 2026

NWU — Student portal

NWU eFundi & Student Portal 2026: how to log in

Student Portal (Campus Nexus SIS) is the admin system; eFundi (Sakai) is the LMS. Both use a single sign-on with NWU credentials — here's the complete login guide including the @mysis-nwu.ac.za vs @mynwu.ac.za confusion.

Updated 17 May 2026

Government school programme

How to apply to be a General School Assistant (GSA)

GSA is the most accessible BEEI role — no matric required for Handyman or Sports & Enrichment posts, R4,000/month, 6 months. Apply via SA Youth when intakes open.

Updated 17 May 2026

Government youth portal

SA Youth login: how to sign in to sayouth.mobi

Use your ID number and password to access the official SA Youth platform — free, on any network, with no data needed on Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom or Virgin Mobile.

Updated 17 May 2026

Government youth portal

SA Youth registration: sign up on sayouth.mobi

Join the SA Youth network in about 4 minutes to access jobs, learnerships, the YES programme, the Teacher Assistant programme (BEEI), and free work-readiness content.

Updated 17 May 2026

Government school programme

SA Youth Teacher Assistant: how to apply (and what's happening with Phase VI)

The Basic Education Employment Initiative placed ~200,000 young people in schools during Phase V. As of May 2026, Phase VI has not been funded — here's the honest picture and how to apply if it opens.

Updated 17 May 2026

SAICA — Chartered Accountancy

SAICA Thuthuka Bursary 2026: full-cost CA bursary

Thuthuka is SAICA's flagship full-cost bursary for African and Coloured students pursuing the CA(SA) qualification — covering tuition, residence, meals, books, stipend, and a guaranteed training contract after CTA.

Updated 17 May 2026

South African Police Service

How to apply for SAPS jobs (police trainee and civilian)

SAPS recruits ~5,500 police trainees a year plus civilian roles in HR, finance, IT, 10111 and the Forensic Science Laboratory. Here's exactly how to apply and what the selection looks like.

Updated 17 May 2026

SARS — Revenue and customs

How to apply for SARS jobs

SARS hires through the SuccessFactors eRecruit portal — no Z83, no walk-ins, no fees. Here's the step-by-step plus the Graduate Programme, CA Articles, Customs Officer and bursary routes.

Updated 17 May 2026

Sasol bursary — chemicals & energy

Sasol Bursary 2027: full-cost engineering & science funding

Two streams — Mainstream (no income cap, year-for-year work-back) and Foundation (means-tested at R600k household income). 2027 academic year applications close 17 May 2026.

Updated 17 May 2026

Sasol — Chemicals & energy

How to apply for Sasol jobs

Sasol hires through jobs.sasol.com only — learnerships, bursaries, graduate programme, and permanent roles across Secunda, Sasolburg, Sandton and Mozambique. No email applications, no recruitment fees.

Updated 17 May 2026

Services SETA — Personal & business services

Services SETA learnerships 2026: how to apply

Services SETA is SA's largest SETA — covering cleaning, security, hairdressing, real estate, business admin and more across 6 chambers. It also has SA's worst SETA fraud record — verify everything before paying anyone a cent.

Updated 17 May 2026

Shoprite Holdings — Retail

How to apply for Shoprite, Checkers and Usave jobs

Shoprite is South Africa's largest private employer — 170,000+ staff across Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, OK, LiquorShop and House & Home. Here's how to apply correctly to the right portal.

Updated 17 May 2026

Universities hub

South African universities 2026: how to apply

All 26 public universities, every major application portal, APS calculation, NSFAS and missing-middle loan, plus 2026 dates for 2027 admission.

Updated 17 May 2026

Standard Bank — Banking & financial services

How to apply for the Standard Bank Graduate Programme

Standard Bank's graduate programmes feed into Africa's largest bank by assets. Here's the application step-by-step, the Odyssey assessment, the deadlines, and the alternatives if you're not a graduate yet.

Updated 17 May 2026

Stellenbosch (Maties) — Student portal

Stellenbosch University portals 2026: SUNStudent, SUNLearn login

SUNStudent is the admin portal; SUNLearn (Moodle) is the LMS. Both use the same SU credentials with mandatory Microsoft Authenticator MFA. Here's how to set up and log in.

Updated 17 May 2026

Transnet — Rail, ports & pipelines

How to apply for Transnet jobs

Transnet runs SA's freight rail, ports and pipelines — with apprenticeships in 14 trades, the Young Professionals in Training graduate programme, bursaries and train driver learnerships. Apply only through the Talent Portal.

Updated 17 May 2026

TVET — Vocational education

TVET Colleges in South Africa: complete 2026 guide

50 public TVET colleges across 364 campuses, enrolling 700,000+ students. The vocational, occupational, trade route into the SA workplace — and the funding to make it free.

Updated 17 May 2026

UCT — Student portals

UCT online portals: 2026 login guide

Every UCT student portal in one place — Self-Service (PeopleSoft), Amathuba (the new LMS that replaced Vula), Webmail, Library, UCT Mobile. With first-time login, MFA setup and password reset.

Updated 17 May 2026

UJ — Student portal

UJ uLink Portal 2026: how to log in and use it

uLink is UJ's single sign-on student portal — central hub for applications, registration, results, fees, Blackboard and webmail. Here's the complete login and application guide.

Updated 17 May 2026

UKZN — Student portal

UKZN Student Central 2026: how to log in

Student Central is UKZN's admin portal — registration, results, fees. UKZN Learn (Moodle) is the LMS. Undergraduate applications go through CAO, not directly to UKZN.

Updated 17 May 2026

UP (Tuks) — Student portal

UP Student Portal 2026: my.up.ac.za and clickUP login

Master login guide for UP's student portals — UP Portal (my.up.ac.za) for admin, clickUP (Blackboard Ultra) for course content. With password reset, Tuks email setup and mobile access.

Updated 17 May 2026

Wits — Student portal

Wits Self-Service 2026: how to log in and use it

Wits Self-Service is the PeopleSoft-based admin portal for applications, registration, results and fees. ulwazi is the Canvas-based LMS for course content. Here's how to use both.

Updated 17 May 2026

W&RSETA — Wholesale & retail

W&RSETA learnerships 2026: how to apply

W&RSETA covers SA's biggest retailers — Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Spar, Woolworths, Clicks and more. The flagship Retail Readiness Programme has placed ~39,000 youth since 2016.

Updated 17 May 2026

Youth employment programme

YES Programme: how to apply for 12 months of paid work experience

The Youth Employment Service places ~50,000 young South Africans a year into 12-month full-time roles with private employers — R5,241/month, free to apply, verified CV at the end.

Updated 17 May 2026