How to apply for bursary
Forms are distributed to all eleven NUM regions in March. You may also access our online application form via the Trust website.
Applicants can apply online by clicking this link: Online Bursary Application
How we transform lives
Tertiary education leads to formal qualifications, creating access to the professions, better jobs, and careers that make a difference to individuals, families, and communities.
Over the past 27 years, more than 6,000 bursars have been approved. We currently have 1812 graduates, including 18 medical doctors, who have received qualifications from institutions of higher learning. The investment amounts to tens of millions of rands.
Community upliftment
We foster community development through outreach efforts and our annual JB Marks Career Expo.
The expo speaks to learners in grades 9 to 12 in selected areas. We outline opportunities and reinforce the sense of purpose of young people who are eager to enter the job market and help their families combat poverty.
Where does the money come from?
We receive funding from various parties. Initially, the Mineworkers Investment Trust provided most of the money, thanks to support from the Mineworkers Investment Company. Today, as a non-profit public benefit organization (PBO Section 18A), we receive funding from additional sources. We embrace like-minded partners and engage in a wide range of fundraising activities.
Documents required
The following supporting documentation is required with every application (manual and online). Should the applicant fail to produce ALL the supporting documentation required, their application will not be considered:
- Certified Union member/official’s payslip (for verification purposes)
- Certified copy of applicant’s latest school results
- Certified ID copies of both the applicant and the union member/official
- Acceptance Letter from the University institution or letter verifying your application with the institution
Forms are distributed to all the NUM regions in March, and then each region distributes the same forms to all its branches.
Post Graduate Applications
Please take note of the following information regarding the JB Marks Education Trust Fund:
- The fund only supports existing JB Marks students who are pursuing post-graduate studies within a year of completing their undergraduate qualifications.
- Funding for post-graduate studies is limited to critical fields of study.
To apply for funding, applicants must reapply and provide the following supporting documents:
- Acceptance Letter from the prospective university
- Quotation of fees
- Academic Record
- Motivation Letter
The applications opens on the 25th of August and closes on the 30th of November each year. The outcome is announced on the 25th of January each year.
NUM Regional Offices
| Region | Office | Tel | Fax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | Bellville | (021) 948 6363 | (021) 948 6367 |
| Carletonville | Gauteng | (018) 787 5885 | (018) 787 2280 |
| East London | Eastern Cape | (043) 743 6597 | (043) 722 0306 |
| EBMTC | Gauteng | (011) 484 3372 | (011) 484 6661 |
| Free State | Welkom | (057) 352 6462 | (057) 352 3516 |
| Highveld | Mpumalanga | (013) 656 2073 | (013) 690 1286 |
| Kimberley | Northern Cape | (053) 833 4993 | (053) 832 7064 |
| Matlosana | North West | (018) 464 1593 | (018) 464 1256 |
| Lesotho | Maseru | +09 (226) 32 4004 | |
| KwaZulu-Natal | N/A | (031) 305 1911 | (031) 305 1913 |
| North East | Limpopo | (013) 231 7323 | (013) 231 7154 |
| PWV | Gauteng | (011) 403 9412 | (011) 403 9421 |
| Parliamentary Office | Cape Town | (021) 461 7049 | (021) 462 7051 |
| Rustenburg | North West | (014) 597 2695 | (014) 596 5061 |
| Port Elizabeth | Eastern Cape | (041) 586 4013 | (041) 586 0799 |
| Namaqualand | Springbok | (027) 712 2767 | (027) 712 1771 |
Please bear in mind the following information
Please note that applications that are e-mailed will not be considered.
Applicants who successfully qualify will receive an acceptance letter from the JB Marks office via physical/postal/e-mail address or through the relevant regional office.
If you have not received any communication from the office of JB Marks Education Trust Fund by the end of January or if your name is not on the NUM regional list, it indicates that your application was unsuccessful.
We kindly ask applicants to verify at their Regional Office for the publication of successful bursars’ names at the beginning of December.
The JB Marks Education Trust Fund strives to ensure that successful applicants are notified. To this end, we strongly recommend that applicants clearly indicate the address (e-mail, residential, or postal) to which they prefer their acceptance letters to be sent. Additionally, applicants are advised to regularly check for responses from the JB Marks office on specified dates.
Duration of the bursary
- Students abandoning the course study within six months of enrolment at an institution will result in the termination of the bursary, and the student will be liable for the repayment to the Fund of all payments already made.
- Should a student receive another financial aid/bursary, the Trust will request the student for a full reimbursement of payments already made by the Trust on the student’s behalf, and the Trust will terminate the bursary.
