Buffalo City Bursary 2027: Ntombikayise Tom Fund Applications

The Buffalo City Bursary 2027, officially the Ntombikayise Tom Bursary Fund, is accepting applications from eligible permanent residents of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. The fund supports selected undergraduate study areas, and applications must reach the municipality by 30 October 2026.

This opportunity is designed around local residence, academic merit and financial circumstances. It is not open automatically to everyone studying in the Eastern Cape. Before completing the form, check whether you can document residence within Buffalo City, whether your intended course appears in the advertised fields and whether your school results meet the stated requirements.

Buffalo City Bursary 2027: key details

• Provider: Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.
• Fund: Ntombikayise Tom Bursary Fund.
• Academic year: 2027.
• Study level: undergraduate studies only.
• Applicants: South African citizens, aged 14–35, who permanently reside in Buffalo City.
• Closing date: 30 October 2026.
• Selection: academic merit, with a bias towards underprivileged applicants; students with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Which fields are supported?

The official advert groups its study options into engineering, planning and related built-environment disciplines, science, and finance. Engineering options include mechanical, electrical or electronic, civil and chemical engineering. Built-environment options include quantity surveying, building, town and regional planning, architecture, facilities management and land surveying.

Science options include microbiology, biochemistry, analytical chemistry and environmental studies. The finance group includes economics, accounting and actuarial science. Use the exact course title from your admission documents when filling in the form. If your institution uses a different title, confirm eligibility rather than assuming that a similar-sounding qualification is accepted.

Buffalo City Bursary 2027 eligibility

The notice specifies Matric with at least level 5 in English, or 60–69%, and level 6, or 70–79%, in Mathematics, Accounting and Physical Science, or NCV level 4 with Mathematics. Because subject combinations differ between the advertised fields, applicants unsure how that wording applies to their chosen qualification should obtain clarification from the municipality instead of treating a subject as optional.

Permanent residence in Buffalo City must be supported by documentation. The form accepts a municipal account or a councillor’s acknowledgement letter as residence evidence. Household-income evidence is also required. Unlike some provincial schemes, this application should not be treated as a nationwide bursary simply because the qualification can be studied elsewhere.

Applicants are responsible for securing admission to their institution. The bursary form asks Matric learners to indicate where they have applied for further study, and its attachment checklist requests a 2027 acceptance or academic-admission letter. If that letter is still outstanding, ask the municipality how to handle it before the closing date.

Funding and renewal

The public advertisement describes the fund and its selection priorities but does not publish a fixed award value or an itemised package. It would therefore be inaccurate to promise a laptop, a particular stipend or full coverage of every university expense. Successful applicants should check the written offer for the costs actually approved.

Awards are renewable annually subject to academic performance. Renewal is not the same as an unconditional commitment for the entire qualification. Keep academic records and funding correspondence organised, and ask about the next year’s renewal process in good time if you receive an award.

Documents to prepare

• The completed 2027 bursary application form, including sections 1 to 4.
• A copy of your identity document, following the advert’s certification requirements.
• Certified copies of your most recent academic results.
• Proof of permanent residence, such as the permitted municipal account or councillor letter.
• Proof of household income, or an affidavit where a parent or guardian is unemployed.
• Your 2027 acceptance or academic-admission letter, as requested in the form.

The form asks applicants to write clearly in capital letters using a black pen. It includes a brief motivation and a declaration that the information supplied is true. Use the motivation to explain your actual study plans and circumstances, then check that every statement agrees with the attached evidence.

How to apply for the Buffalo City Bursary 2027

Download the official form below or obtain it from the advertised Youth Advisory Centres: the Mdantsane Library Complex, King William’s Town Civic Centre, or East London Trust Centre, seventh floor, office 701. Complete the form before travelling to submit it so you have time to obtain any missing documents.

The advertisement directs applicants to hand-deliver completed applications to the Special Programmes Unit at the Trust Centre, seventh floor. The form also prints a postal address of P.O. Box 134, East London, 5200. Because the advert specifically calls for hand delivery, confirm any proposed postal submission with the municipality rather than assuming it will arrive or be accepted in time.

For enquiries, contact Nandi Zikalala on 043 705 1884. Keep a full copy of your application and ask for submission acknowledgement where available. No applications will be accepted after 30 October 2026.

Buffalo City Bursary 2027 FAQs

Can postgraduate students apply?

No. The current advertisement is for undergraduate study. A postgraduate admission offer does not meet that stated scope.

Must I live in Buffalo City?

Yes. Applicants must be permanent Buffalo City residents and provide residence evidence. Living elsewhere in the Eastern Cape is not sufficient by itself.

Is the bursary automatically renewed?

No. The advert makes annual renewal dependent on academic performance. Follow the conditions and renewal instructions in any award you receive.

For another funding option with different rules, read the RBM Bursary 2027 application guide.

Source check: Buffalo City Bursary 2027 details were checked against the provider’s official information on 21 October 2026. Recheck the live page before applying.