If you are a South African student with a passion for environmental conservation, forestry, or fisheries and you are in need of financial aid, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) offers a bursary program aimed at supporting students in these vital fields.
DFFE Bursary Details
Bursary Name: DFFE Bursary 2025
Provider: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)
Eligible Fields: Various environmental, forestry, fisheries, and law-related fields
Application Deadline: Closed for 2025
Funding Amount: Maximum of R50,000
Apply Here: Applications reopen with official announcements via national newspapers, the DFFE website, and social media platforms.
About the Bursary Provider
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) is a South African government department responsible for environmental conservation, protection, and sustainable management of natural resources.
Previously known as the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) until April 2021, the DFFE was established in 2019 through the merger of the Department of Environmental Affairs with the forestry and fisheries divisions of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).
DFFE Bursary Eligibility Requirements
The bursary is available to full-time students who are either:
- Enrolled in an institution of higher learning, OR
- Currently in Grade 12 (Matric) and not employed.
The following fields of study are supported:
Biodiversity and Conservation
- ND Nature Conservation
- ND Ecotourism and Game Range Management
- B Degree/Hons/MSc (Environmental Management/Science/Economics)
- BSc Zoology and Botany
- BSc Geology
- ND/Adv Diploma/B Degree/Hons/MSc (Forestry)
- LLB/Environmental Law
- B Degree/Hons/MSc (Geography)
- Cultural, Heritage, and Natural Resource Management
- B Degree/Hons/MSc (Archaeology)
Chemicals and Waste Management
- ND/BTech/MTech/DTech (Environmental Science/Management/Health)
- ND/BTech/MTech/DTech (Waste Management/Recycling Economy)
- B Degree/Hons/MSc/PhD (Research in Waste Management, Resource Efficiency, or Extended Producer Responsibility)
- B Degree/Hons/MSc/PhD (Natural Sciences)
- B Degree/Hons/MA (Chemical Engineering)
- B Degree/Hons/MSc/PhD (Environmental Science/Management)
- LLB/LLM/PhD (Environmental Law)
- B Degree/Hons/MA (Development Studies/Sustainable Development)
- B Degree/Hons/MSc (Environmental Resource Management)
Climate Change and Air Quality Management
- ND/BSc (Environmental Science/Management)
- B Degree Earth and Environmental Sciences
- B Degree Natural Science
- BSc Chemistry
- BSc (Geography/Archaeology and Environmental)
- ND/B Degree (Sustainable Development)
Other Supported Fields
Additional fields of study under Environmental Programmes, Forestry Management, Fisheries Management, Regulatory Compliance Sector Monitoring, and Oceans & Coasts are also eligible.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit a prescribed bursary application form with the following documents:
- Motivation letter explaining why you deserve the bursary.
- Certified copies of qualifications and recent academic records.
- Certified copies of your ID and that of both parents/guardians.
- Proof of registration (if already enrolled in a higher institution).
- Latest Grade 12 results (if currently in high school).
- Proof of parents’ or guardians’ income.
- Proof of parents’ death (if applicable).
- Affidavit if parents are unemployed.
Application Deadline & Contact Details
Application Deadline: The 2025 call is closed. Future applications will be announced officially.
Submission Method: No faxed or emailed applications accepted. Only postal, hand-delivered, or couriered applications are considered.
Postal Address:
Attention: Learning and Development (Bursary Section)
The Director-General, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Private Bag X447, Pretoria, 0001
Hand Deliveries (Pretoria):
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Environment House, 473 Steve Biko Street, Arcadia, Pretoria
Hand Deliveries (Cape Town):
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Foretrust Building, No. 3 Hammerschlag Way, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8000
For enquiries, contact:
Pretoria: Joshua Moepya (012 399 8682), Busisiwe Stemele (012 399 8685), Mokhobo Putu (012 399 9018)
Cape Town: Kgomotso Moela (021 402 3329), Neliswa Magwala (021 814 8089), Tumeka Madolo (021 402 3072)
Although the 2025 DFFE bursary applications are closed, don’t miss out on future chances to pursue your studies in environmental fields.
Stay informed by regularly checking national newspapers, the DFFE website, and their social media platforms for official announcements regarding new application cycles.