Public Schools Offering Bursaries. Finding affordable education can be challenging for families, especially when school fees, uniforms, transport and other educational expenses continue to increase. Fortunately, several public schools in South Africa offer bursaries and scholarships to talented learners who meet specific academic, sporting, musical or leadership requirements.
For 2026, parents and learners can also explore external scholarship programmes that place learners at participating public high schools. In addition, families who cannot afford school fees may be eligible to apply for an official school-fee exemption.
This guide provides an overview of public schools offering bursaries in 2026, external scholarship programmes and the fee-exemption process.
Public High Schools With Their Own Bursaries and Scholarships
Many government high schools have bursary or scholarship opportunities supported by School Governing Bodies, alumni organisations, trusts, foundations and private partners. Awards are generally competitive, and requirements vary from one school to another.
Most opportunities are aimed at learners entering Grade 8, although some bursaries may be available to learners in higher grades.
Parents should always check the school’s official website or admissions office for the latest application forms, requirements and deadlines.
Rondebosch Boys’ High School – Cape Town
Rondebosch Boys’ High School offers several Grade 8 scholarship opportunities covering areas such as academics, sport and music.
Successful applicants may receive scholarships that can continue through Grade 12, subject to the school’s conditions and continued performance. A scholarship examination may also be required as part of the selection process.
The school has previously published information relating to Grade 8 2026 applications, making it an important option for families looking for competitive school-based scholarships in Cape Town.
Wynberg Boys’ High School – Cape Town
Wynberg Boys’ High School provides scholarship opportunities for new pupils. These awards may recognise academic achievement and other areas of excellence.
For the 2026 intake, the published scholarship application deadline was 15 April 2025. Families interested in future applications should confirm current dates directly with the school because deadlines can change each year.
Applicants should also review the school’s scholarship requirements before submitting an application.
King Edward VII School – Johannesburg
King Edward VII School, commonly known as KES, has internal bursary and scholarship opportunities covering academics and extracurricular activities.
The school also has legacy awards administered through trustees. High-achieving learners may be considered for scholarship examinations or other forms of recognition.
Parents should visit the school’s admissions and academic information pages to find the most current details about available financial assistance.
Pretoria Boys High School – Tshwane
Pretoria Boys High School has bursary support associated with The Pretorian Trust, an alumni-linked structure that helps provide financial assistance to talented boys who demonstrate financial need.
The trust’s bursary fund can provide an opportunity for deserving learners who may otherwise struggle to meet the costs associated with attending the school.
Parents should review the latest information from the trust and the school before applying.
Jeppe High School for Boys – Johannesburg
Jeppe High School for Boys is associated with the Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund (TJSF).
The programme provides multi-year scholarships for deserving boys and may assist with costs such as tuition and boarding, depending on the individual award.
Because scholarship conditions and application requirements can change, families should consult the official scholarship information before preparing an application.
Jeppe High School for Girls – Johannesburg
Jeppe High School for Girls has scholarship support through the Ruth First Jeppe Memorial Trust.
The trust provides full tuition scholarships for eligible girls attending Jeppe Girls. Applications or nominations are generally conducted annually, with nomination timelines often falling around March.
Parents should confirm the current year’s requirements and application dates before submitting a nomination.
Parktown Boys’ High School – Johannesburg
Parktown Boys’ High School has offered merit and sports-related scholarship opportunities over the years.
Specific opportunities may include sporting trials and scholarships for learners demonstrating exceptional ability in particular activities, such as aquatics.
Alumni organisations have also contributed bursary support to Parktown Boys’ and Parktown Girls’ schools. Since opportunities can vary from year to year, applicants should monitor official school and alumni announcements.
Grey High School – Gqeberha
Grey High School in Gqeberha publishes information about admissions, bursaries and scholarships for prospective learners.
The school has also provided information for Grade 8 2026 applications, with the relevant application cycle having an early March 2025 closing date.
The Grey Foundation also supports bursary-related initiatives, making the school another option for families researching financial assistance for high school education.
External Scholarship Programmes for Public High Schools
Learners do not have to rely only on scholarships offered directly by their chosen school. Several external organisations provide scholarships and support programmes that place learners in partner public high schools.
These programmes can be especially useful when a school has limited internal bursary places.
Spirit Education Foundation – Cape Town
The Spirit Education Foundation provides scholarship opportunities for learners entering Grade 8 at selected public high schools in Cape Town.
The organisation has offered approximately 20 Grade 8 scholarships per year, depending on the programme and available funding.
Information relating to Grade 8 2026 applications has been made available through the foundation’s application materials and announcements.
Parents should carefully check eligibility requirements and application deadlines before applying.
Students for a Better Future (SBF) – Cape Town
Students for a Better Future (SBF) provides placement scholarships through a network of partner public high schools in Cape Town.
The programme works with approximately 14 partner public high schools and provides broader support rather than simply covering school costs.
Recruitment generally begins when learners are around Grade 6 for placement into Grade 8. Families should check the programme’s current eligibility rules and application process.
Investec High School Bursary – National
The Investec High School Bursary Programme, administered through StudyTrust, provides financial support to qualifying learners attending public high schools.
For learners entering Grades 10 to 12 in 2026, selection is based on factors including financial need and academic performance. Strong results in important subjects are generally expected, with criteria such as achieving around 70% or higher in key subjects being relevant to eligibility.
Because this is a national programme, it can be particularly useful for learners whose own schools have limited bursary opportunities.
What If Your Public School Does Not Offer a Bursary?
Not every public school provides its own bursary programme. However, families who cannot afford school fees may still have another option.
South African public schools that charge school fees must consider applications for school-fee exemptions where a family’s financial circumstances make payment difficult.
Depending on the household’s circumstances and applicable rules, an exemption may be:
- Full
- Partial
- Conditional
The assessment generally considers the relationship between the household’s income and the school’s fees.
How to Apply for a School-Fee Exemption
Parents or guardians should apply through the school’s School Governing Body (SGB).
The school should provide the relevant application information and explain what supporting documents are required. Families should provide accurate information about their household finances so that the application can be assessed correctly.
After the application has been considered, the school should provide a written outcome within the applicable timeframe, with the information provided here indicating seven days for the written outcome.
Fee-exemption rules are based on national regulations and the National Norms and Standards for School Funding.
Tips for Applying for a 2026 Bursary
Competition for public-school scholarships can be high, so parents should begin preparing well before the closing date.
1. Check the School’s Official Website
Always use the latest information published by the school or scholarship organisation. Requirements and deadlines can change each year.
2. Prepare Documents Early
Depending on the programme, applicants may need academic records, proof of household income, identification documents, recommendation letters and other supporting information.
3. Pay Attention to Grade Requirements
Some scholarships are specifically designed for Grade 8 learners, while others are available to learners entering Grades 10–12.
4. Check the Selection Criteria
Scholarships may focus on academic performance, sport, music, leadership, financial need or a combination of these factors.
5. Do Not Wait Until the Deadline
Some programmes have deadlines several months before the learner actually starts school. For example, applications for the 2026 intake may have closed during 2025.
Conclusion
Public schools offering bursaries in 2026 can provide valuable opportunities for talented learners who need financial assistance. Schools such as Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Wynberg Boys’ High School, King Edward VII School, Pretoria Boys High School, Jeppe High School for Boys, Jeppe High School for Girls, Parktown Boys’ High School and Grey High School have bursary, scholarship or related financial-support opportunities.
