Bursaries that change family futures.
Phambili Merits sponsors previously disadvantaged students through their qualifications — and supports the institutions and people who help them get there.
Education changes lives — but only when access is real.
Phambili Merits exists for one reason: to remove the financial barriers that prevent talented South Africans from pursuing — and completing — qualifications that change their economic trajectory.
The programme funds full bursaries, faculty and student support, and re-skilling for working professionals whose growth has been held back by the cost of further study. Every sponsorship is structured to deliver measurable outcomes — qualifications completed, careers launched, family circumstances changed.
Sponsorships are awarded to previously disadvantaged students of all ages — from first-year undergraduates to mid-career professionals returning to study.
Three sponsorship pathways
Phambili Merits is structured around three forms of educational support — each designed to address a specific gap between potential and access.
Student bursaries
Full or partial sponsorship of student tuition, materials and stipends — for previously disadvantaged learners pursuing recognised qualifications.
Faculty & student support
Funding for institutions, tutors and student support services — strengthening the academic environment that surrounds the learner.
Employee re-skilling
Sponsorship of further qualifications for working professionals whose career growth has been limited by the cost of additional study.
Designed for the talent the system has overlooked.
Phambili Merits serves people whose ability has never been the question — only access has.
Eligible recipients
- Previously disadvantaged students entering recognised tertiary qualifications
- Mid-career professionals seeking qualifications to unlock career progression
- TVET and vocational learners pursuing scarce-skills qualifications
- Faculty and tutors at institutions that serve marginalised communities
- Postgraduate researchers whose work supports South African industry priorities
What success looks like
- Qualifications completed — degrees, diplomas and certifications earned
- Employment placement — recipients moving into meaningful work or further study
- Income trajectory — measurable change in earning capability post-qualification
- Skill mastery — self-reported and verified competency gains
- Family impact — knock-on effects for families and dependents of recipients
Every sponsorship is structured around a real student.
Whether you’re an individual donor, a corporate partner or a foundation — Phambili Merits sponsorships are designed around the actual cost of supporting a learner through their qualification.
Discuss specific sponsorship amounts with our team
Sponsorship sizing is matched to the qualification, the duration of study and the level of support required. Our team can walk you through what’s possible at any contribution level — from once-off donations through to multi-year corporate sponsorship arrangements with B-BBEE alignment and Section 18A certification.
Start the conversationSponsor a future that wouldn’t exist without you.
Every Phambili Merits sponsorship is matched to a real student with real potential. Our team will walk you through what’s possible at any level of contribution.
Donate to this programme