In line with PGDP and Skills Development Act of 1999, DEDEA award bursaries annually to academically qualifying and financially needy students in the Eastern Cape with a bias to candidates from rural areas. This criterion emanates from DEDEA’s understanding of poverty distribution patterns in South Africa and the province. The poverty and unemployment in the province is immensely entrenched in rural settlements.

These bursaries are awarded to candidates from the Eastern Cape in specific disciplines that are in line with the department’s mandate. The priority fields of study are Economics, Environment and Tourism streams with the ultimate goal of mitigating the skills shortages within these streams in the Province.

The department seeks to ensure that the youth of the province have continued access to high-quality education that will provide them with critical skills and expertise for future success and excellence of the province;

To provide support in specific fields that are in line with DEDEA mandate;

To Mitigates skills shortages in the province;

Category A: Bachelor of Commerce

• Economics and Statistics stream
• Economics and Law stream
• Economics and Public Finance stream
• Economics and Econometrics stream
• Economics and Politics stream
• Development Economics
• Economics of Tourism
• Development Studies
• Consumer Law Protection

Category B: Bachelor of Science

• Tourism Development
• Environmental Science and Management
• Animal, Plant and Environmental Studies
• Environmental and Geographic Studies
• Geography of Tourism
• Economic and Development Geography
• Coastal Management
• Environmental Law
• Marine Management

• Applied Social Sciences
• Public Administration and Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Communication
• Psychology

Must be the resident of the Eastern Cape with emphasis more preference will be given to people from rural and poverty stricken areas.

Must be financially needy – merit with a total gross income of R5000.00 per annum.

If unemployed, proof of income for either parents (both) or legal guardian must be attached.

The bursary pays for tuition fees, prescribed study material, reasonable accommodation and meals. All candidates who have been granted a bursary are issued with a letter of acceptance containing detailed information in this regard and are required to accept and sign the contract.

A contract will be signed by the bursary upholder together with the Head of Department (HOD representing DEDEA). The contract clearly states that upon completion of studies the bursary holder will be obliged to work for the department as an Intern for one year immediately upon obtaining the qualification.

The bursary will be suspended whereby a bursary holder fails more than 50% of the registered courses, however if a bursary holder re-registers the failed courses at her/his own costs the suspension would be lifted.

A bursary  will be withdrawn should the Department discovers that a student is in receipt of another bursary, and as such will be required to repay all costs already incurred by DEDEA.

A bursary will be discontinued with immediate effect whereby a student registers for a degree/diploma other than for which the bursary was granted for without prior approval by the Department.

An advertisement inviting qualifying candidates to apply is usually announced between June and September.

The advertisement is usually placed in Local Newspapers, District Municipalities Notice Boards, DEDEA website, and in all our Regional Offices.

Upon the advertisement, Bursary Application Forms are usually available in all our Regional Offices, Bhisho Head Office and can also be down loaded from DEDEA website.