What do SETAS deal with?

The primary function is to facilitate skills development by establishing learning programmes such as learnerships, skills programmes, internships and other strategic learning initiatives. This is done through the disbursement of grants to employers and training providers. 

Is SETA a financial aid?

SETA is a South African financial assistance method that will help students cover their basic needs during their studies. 

How many types of SETA are there?

There are a total of 21 SETAs in South Africa. Each one manages and creates learnerships, skills-based programmes and internships in its sector. Every industry and job in the country is covered by one of the 21 SETAs.

Do SETAs offer bursaries? 

The SETA bursary as a learning pathway offers basic financial assistance that assists a bursar (student) to pay for basic needs during the course of his or her studies.

The bursary funds unemployed and employed South African citizens only to study at a public or private institution in the Republic of South Africa.

Applications must be done online, by registering on the SAC website. Once you have registered, you may login and proceed with your application. 

How does SETA funding work?

Mandatory Grants are paid by the SETA to companies who are eligible to receive funding.They are calculated at 20% of an employer’s 1% skills levy. To claim back the 20% as a mandatory grant employers have to submit a Workplace Skills Plan and an Annual Training Report before 30 April every year.

Who Qualifies for SETA Discretionary Grants Funding?

Employers within the jurisdiction of the SETA who are up-to-date with the levy payments – including those exempted in terms of the Skills Development Levy Act. Discretionary grants are available to employers, training providers, and workers and the unemployed.

This means SAC further education & Training Colleges/higher institutions apply for these grants and SAC will be facilitating the selection of the qualifying learners.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 

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): 

If unemployed, must meet the following criteria:

• South African citizen
• Between the ages of 18 and 35 years old
• Currently unemployed
• Intend on studying towards a NQF level 5 qualification (or above) within one of the aforementioned fields of study
• Studying full time at a public or private tertiary institute (University/ University of Technology/ TVET College) in South Africa
• Achieved a minimum overall average of 50%
• Have a total household income of less than R600 000 per annum

If employed, must meet the following criteria:

• South African citizen
• Currently employed
• Studying towards a NQF level 5 qualification (or above) within one of the aforementioned fields of study
• Studying full time or part time at a public tertiary institute (University/ University of Technology/ TVET College) in South Africa
• Achieved a minimum overall average of 50%
• Have a total household income of less than R600 000 per annum

Does SETA fund college students?

SETA awardbursary funding to both employed and unemployed learners, specifically those studying educational programmes within the industry. Bursaries are awarded to those studying towards the following Seta sector qualifications (TVET Certificates, Diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate):

The Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) offers bursaries to unemployed people who have been accepted to study at TVET Colleges in the Republic of South Africa. Applications are granted solely in accordance, and dependent upon the needs of critical and scarce skills in the seta Sector.

Bursary applications are only considered for approved programmes provided by accredited learning providers such as TVET Colleges and Universities. Unemployed TVET Colleges learners can access bursaries offered via the Public Higher Institutions through which they are registered.

Funding 

Masters Students:

• Student(s) who have been accepted or are registered full time at either a Higher Learning Institution or a Public Institution based in South Africa.

PhD Students:

• Student(s) who are registered in a Doctoral programme, and whose research proposal has been accepted and approved by the authorisation body of a participating university.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE BURSARY

Applications must be done online, by Registering at: https://www.sac.org.za

Once you have registered, you may Login and proceed with your application.
Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your application (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application be disregarded):

• ID document (certified copy)
• Matric certificate/ results, if entering the first year of study (certified copy)
• Latest tertiary academic record, if in second or subsequent year of tertiary study (certified copy)
• Proof of acceptance from your tertiary institution, for first year and returning students (to be submitted before funding is confirmed)
• Parents/ Guardians ID documents (certified copies)
• Parents/ Guardians proof of income (latest payslip etc)
• Name of your municipality