MQA Invites Universities and TVET Colleges to Apply for 500 Bursaries

Institutional funding news — not a direct student application call.

The Mining Qualifications Authority has opened a funding window for 500 unemployed bursars in 2027, with applications closing on 19 November 2026. The crucial detail is who applies: this call is for public universities and TVET colleges to apply for funding on behalf of students. It should not be treated as an invitation for individual students to submit directly through the institutional portal.

For students, the useful next step is to contact the institution where they will study and ask whether it is participating. For institutional funding teams, the notice provides a separate MQA application route and identifies the types of qualifications the window will support.

What the new funding window covers

The official MQA announcement lists Mining Engineering for universities. TVET trades include boilermaking, motor mechanics, electrical work, fitting and turning, machinery fitting, instrumentation mechanics, millwright training and rigging.

Selected full TVET qualifications in technology and energy may also qualify, including artificial intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, renewable energy and robotics. Check the complete list before assuming your course qualifies.

The application window opened on 19 October 2026. Funding administration will be governed by an agreement between MQA and the institution. The announcement does not state a standard individual bursary value, allocation for each college or guaranteed number of beneficiaries at a particular campus.

What students should ask their institution

The following questions can help you get a clear answer from a financial-aid or bursary office. They are a preparation checklist, not additional MQA selection rules:

• Is the institution preparing an application under this particular 2027 MQA window?
• Does your exact qualification, study level and campus fall within the institution’s proposed submission?
• Will students be invited to provide information, or will an existing institutional assessment process be used?
• What is the institution’s internal deadline, which may need to fall before MQA’s closing date?
• Which financial-need and academic documents should be prepared, and through which secure institutional channel should they be supplied?
• How will students be notified if an allocation is approved and they are selected?

Have your correct programme name and student or application number available when making the enquiry. Avoid forwarding identity documents or household financial records to a social-media account simply because it advertises the 500 places. Ask for the institution’s authorised submission process first.

Guidance for university and college teams

The official notice directs institutions to MQA OneView. MQA’s broader bursaries page separately identifies the public-institution support window and the opportunity for employed applicants. Staff should make sure they are using the correct route and should not interchange the two application processes.

MQA also publishes an institution-by-institution contact directory. Consult that directory for programme assistance. The website and linked directory contain some differing staff allocations and contact details, so confirm the correct contact for your institution if the two sources do not agree.

Before final submission, an institutional team can check its proposed qualification list against this specific call, confirm that its authorised representative has portal access, and retain a record of the submission. These are practical checks; they do not replace instructions displayed within the MQA system or the eventual funding agreement.

Frequently asked questions

Can an unemployed student apply directly through this notice?

This particular call invites institutional applications. Students should ask their university or TVET college about its participation and student-selection process.

What should I do if my course name seems different?

Ask the institution to compare your exact qualification with the call. Similar-sounding subjects are not enough to establish that a particular course is included.

Does 19 November apply to an internal college application?

It is MQA’s closing date for this window. Your institution may set its own earlier date for gathering information, so seek its instructions promptly.

Independent publisher. Reign Gigs is not the funding provider and does not accept applications.