Cyril Ramaphosa Trust Education (CRET) Bursary South Africa 2025
ABOUT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA FOUNDATION & CRET
The Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) Bursary Programme, established by the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, aims to offer financial support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who achieve strong academic results but lack the resources to pursue further studies.
The Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of South African youth and creating opportunities through education and enterprise development. The Foundation's origins trace back to 1996, when President Cyril Ramaphosa began funding university bursaries for underprivileged students using earnings from his public speaking engagements. Building on this initiative, the Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) was officially founded in 2000 to further this mission.
ABOUT THE CRET BURSARY PROGRAMME – FIELDS COVERED
The Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) is inviting students to apply for their bursary support programme, for the 2025 academic year.
Bursaries will be awarded for undergraduate studies, within the following fields:
- Commerce and Finance
- Education
- Engineering
- Sciences (excluding MBChB)
- Technology
- Scarce or critical skills training (including Boiler Making, Welding, Plumbing, OHS, Renewable Energy, Waste Management, Green Technology, Entrepreneurship, etc)
The CRET bursary aims to provide funding to students who may otherwise be overlooked by other bursary programmes – the programme considers the holistic needs of candidates, their potential, and student who with enough support, nurturing and mentoring, will become leaders of the future.
EXPENSES COVERED & SELECTION
The bursary will provide full cover for the following expenses: tuition fees, textbooks and other study materials, accommodation, meals, a monthly living allowance, and transport, where required.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted – if you do not receive any feedback, please consider your application unsuccessful.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CRET BURSARY
Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):
- You must be a South African citizen
- You must have a valid South African ID number
- You must be between 16 and 27 years old
- You must be currently in Matric or have completed Matric
- You must be studying or intend on studying towards an undergraduate qualification, within one of the fields of study listed above
- You must be studying or have applied/ registered to study at a recognised and accredited tertiary institution in South Africa (University, University of Technology, TVET College or other recognized learning institution)
- You must be in financial need, with a total household income of NOT more than R650 000 per annum
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE CRET BURSARY
Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) Bursary Application 2025
Shortlisted candidates will be required to submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation, so please ensure you have these documents ready (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):
- ID Document (certified copy)
- Most recent academic record (certified copy)
- Proof of tertiary acceptance for 2025 (on institutions letterhead)
- Motivational letter to support your application.
- Proof of parents or guardians household income (latest pay slips if employed, affidavit if unemployed, proof of pension or grant if applicable)
- Proof of home address
- Proof of undertaking a psychometric test (that supports your chosen field of study) (applicants may download and complete the free psychometric evaluation test and submit their results with their supporting documents)
CLOSING DATE FOR THE CRET BURSARY
13 December 2024.
(Applications submitted after these dates will not be accepted – please
apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)