Accounting and Finance Bursaries in South Africa for 2027
Find accounting and finance bursaries in South Africa for 2027. Browse funding opportunities for accounting, auditing, taxation, economics and financial management studies.
Find accounting and finance bursaries in South Africa for 2027. Browse funding opportunities for accounting, auditing, taxation, economics and financial management studies.
South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) • Private Sector
Mandela Institute for Development Studies: MINDS • Private Sector
Moore • Private Sector
Sanlam • Private Sector
Schoeman Coetzee Audit • Private Sector
Power Construction (Pty) Ltd • Private Sector
Accounting and Finance is one of the strongest bursary categories in South Africa. If you compare it to many other study fields, you'll notice that large companies actively compete to fund accounting students.
The reason is fairly simple: every major business needs accountants, auditors, financial analysts, tax specialists, and finance professionals to operate successfully.
One thing that stands out in this field is how many bursaries come directly from employers. Companies like Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY, BDO, Old Mutual, Sanlam, Momentum, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Absa, Investec, and FirstRand regularly invest in students because they are constantly looking for future talent.
Many of these organisations run graduate programmes and training contracts, making bursaries part of their long-term recruitment strategy.
Another interesting trend is that accounting bursaries often focus on specific qualifications. You'll find bursaries aimed at students studying Chartered Accountancy (CA), Accounting Sciences, Financial Management, Taxation, Internal Auditing, Investment Management, Economics, Actuarial Science, and related finance qualifications.
In fact, students pursuing the CA(SA) route often have access to more bursary opportunities than most other university students.
Postgraduate funding is also common in this field. Many employers support Honours students because postgraduate qualifications are often required before entering professional training programmes. For example, Accounting Honours is a key step for students pursuing Chartered Accountant registration through SAICA.
If you're studying Accounting or Finance, don't only look at bursaries from accounting firms. Banks, insurance companies, investment firms, regulators, asset managers, and even government institutions regularly fund finance-related qualifications.
Some of the best opportunities come from organisations people don't immediately associate with accounting.
These are questions South Africans who are students, graduates, undergraduates and scholars are asking everyday.
The major accounting firms aren't just funding students out of goodwill. Firms like PwC, Deloitte, EY and KPMG need a steady pipeline of future trainees. Many bursary recipients eventually enter their training programmes, complete articles, and become long-term employees. Bursaries help these firms identify talented students early.
The Chartered Accountancy pathway usually attracts the largest number of bursaries. Students studying Accounting Sciences and planning to become Chartered Accountants (CA(SA)) often have access to funding from audit firms, banks, corporations, and professional bodies.
Yes. While Chartered Accountancy receives a lot of attention, many organisations also fund Finance, Investment Management, Economics, Financial Planning, Risk Management, Banking and Actuarial Science qualifications. Banks and investment companies are particularly active in this area.
Banks rely heavily on finance professionals, analysts, auditors, economists, compliance specialists, and risk managers. Funding students helps banks develop future employees with the skills they need for their business operations.
Absolutely. In fact, many accounting bursaries specifically target students who are already at university. Providers often prefer applicants with proven university results because they can assess academic performance more accurately than matric results alone.
Yes. Many accounting bursaries support postgraduate studies, especially Accounting Honours programmes. This is because Honours is often required before students can enter professional accounting training programmes and pursue CA(SA) registration.
Most bursary providers pay close attention to Mathematics and Accounting results at school level, as well as university academic performance. For highly competitive bursaries from major firms, strong results can significantly improve your chances of selection.
Some of the most recognised providers include PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, EY, BDO, Old Mutual, Sanlam, Investec, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Absa, FirstRand, Momentum, Allan Gray, and various government departments. The best bursary isn't always the one with the biggest name — it's the one that provides strong financial support and career opportunities aligned with your goals.
Compared to many other study fields, yes. Accounting and Finance consistently attract funding from private companies, banks, professional firms, government institutions, and investment organisations. Students in this field often have access to a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate bursary opportunities throughout the year.