Department of Human Settlements (DHS) Scholarship Programme 2027

Item	Officially advertised position
Organisation	National Department of Human Settlements (DHS)
Programme	2027 Scholarship Programme for human-settlements-related studies
Target applicants	Qualifying South African matriculants and financially deserving youth without a previous tertiary qualification
Key academic standard	Exceptional Matric results; no numeric minimum published
Eligible study disciplines	11 named fields across engineering, planning, architecture, GIS, construction and surveying
Study institution	Provisional or acceptance letter from a public institution of higher learning
Application route	Complete the official PDF form and email it with supporting documents
Opening date	2 November 2026
Closing date	30 November 2026; no time published
Award count / monetary cap	Not specified in the official Advert
Official application email	dhs2027scholarship@thenkalagroup.co.za
Official source	DHS Scholarship Programme 2027 announcement
Official PDF	Download DHS 2027 application form

Read carefully: DHS specifies what types of expenses are funded, but not the number of awards, a per-student rand amount, an exact closing hour, a blanket percentage threshold or a specific maximum age. Edupstairs will not invent these details.

A future civil engineer, architect or town planner can meet the academic expectations for a degree but still face registration fees, tuition bills, accommodation, food and prescribed study materials. Funding those items can make full-time university study more feasible.

The DHS scholarship is designed around the capabilities needed for housing, planning, infrastructure and sustainable communities. The supported study categories are not random: they connect to where housing projects are located, how they are designed, how land is measured, what they cost and whether buildings remain safe and usable.

The decision that matters now: verify the exact programme name on your provisional admission letter against the approved disciplines before sending personal information. A course that sounds similar is not automatically approved.

The Department of Human Settlements is a South African national government department concerned with the policy and delivery environment for human settlements, housing and related development. Housing programmes rely on a network of public bodies, professional practitioners, technical staff, planners and community-facing services.

This scholarship is a study-funding initiative, not an internship, construction job or direct university admission offer. Successful candidates will be subject to a formal bursary agreement; selection and any contractual terms remain with DHS.

Readers can compare occupations in the Edupstairs Career & Qualification Explorer to understand where different built-environment degrees may lead.

According to the DHS Advert, the scholarship targets applicants who are South African, have exceptional Matric results, need financial support and are youth without a previous tertiary qualification. The applicant should intend to study one of the specified built-environment fields and provide a provisional or acceptance letter from a public institution of higher learning.

• Citizenship: South African.
• Academic results: exceptional Matric performance, without a numeric threshold printed in the Advert.
• Financial need: applicant must require financial support, substantiated with family-income evidence.
• Previous qualifications: the Advert targets youth with no prior tertiary qualification.
• Field of study: one of the listed DHS study areas.
• Admission: a provisional or final acceptance letter from a public institution of higher learning.

Eligibility is determined by DHS. The independent Edupstairs checks in this article are for preparation, not approval.

The phrase “exceptional matric results” appears in the DHS Advert. It does not state that every applicant must obtain a particular average, a set APS, or a fixed percentage in Mathematics or Physical Sciences. Different universities may have their own subject, APS and faculty-level entry requirements.

Use the Edupstairs University Explorer to compare institutional admission requirements, and the Bursary & NSFAS Eligibility Checker with APS calculator for personal planning. Neither tool can declare you officially eligible for DHS.

Do not deliberately round up your marks or omit a weak subject. Submit the actual Matric/June results requested and allow DHS to assess them.

Financial need is expressly part of the advertised criteria. The Advert gives a parent or guardian salary slip as an example of financial-status evidence. The official application form also requests family information, parent/guardian occupation and disclosure of other funding.

Prepare the current parent/guardian proof of income available to you. Where a guardian is unemployed, self-employed, deceased or supported by grants, the Advert does not give a complete alternative-document list. Ask DHS what evidence it will accept rather than inventing a rule or submitting a misleading salary statement.

The scholarship does not disclose a household-income ceiling such as R350,000 or R600,000. Those figures may relate to other programmes and must not be transplanted into the DHS requirements.

The official Advert names the following fields. Edupstairs groups them for browsing; the groups are editorial, not additional scholarship categories or guarantees about specific course titles.

• Civil Engineering — Designs and evaluates structures, services and infrastructure; investigate mathematics, science and institution entry thresholds.
• Town and Regional Planning — Plans land use, settlements, transport connections and appropriate development of towns and regions.
• Urban and Rural Studies — Studies communities and spatial inequality in cities, smaller towns and rural areas.
• Architecture — Develops building designs, spatial solutions and technical concepts for usable places.
• Architectural Technology — Focuses on architectural drawing, documentation, materials and building technology.
• Construction Management — Coordinates project time, cost, resources, quality and delivery on construction works.
• Construction Science — Studies construction methods, processes and scientific foundations of the built environment.
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) — Uses maps, geospatial databases and analysis to support planning, land and infrastructure decisions.
• Quantity Surveying — Estimates and manages construction quantities, contractual cost and expenditure.
• Building Surveying — Examines building condition, performance, compliance and built-asset evidence.
• Land Surveying — Measures land, boundaries and mapped positions for planning and development work.

Use the interactive Study Field Explorer within this section to search and compare two pathways. Before applying, match your institution’s exact qualification title to the DHS list or seek clarification from the department.

Civil Engineering is one of the expressly advertised fields. Engineers contribute technical work to built infrastructure such as roads, structural systems, stormwater services, water and sanitation connections and construction oversight. The actual scope of an engineer’s work depends on qualification, registration, employer and project.

Students should inspect Mathematics and Physical Sciences requirements for their preferred university. Investigate recognised programmes using the University Explorer and relevant occupations or SAQA records using the Career & Qualification Explorer.

DHS has not promised a specific engineering job or professional-registration outcome after graduation.

Town and Regional Planning and Urban and Rural Studies are both expressly named in the Advert. Planning deals with how settlement growth, land uses, mobility, environmental constraints and public amenities fit together. Urban and rural studies may include social, spatial, economic and community-development perspectives.

Applicants should compare actual university degree titles, admission rules and future professional routes. Do not assume that a general geography, politics or development-studies degree is automatically accepted without confirmation from DHS.

Career research: try Edupstairs Career Discovery if you are deciding between technical design, spatial analysis and people-centred planning.

Architecture and Architectural Technology are separate study categories on the Advert. Architecture explores building design, spatial use, sustainability, human needs and form; Architectural Technology commonly emphasises technical building documentation, technology and the delivery of designs.

These qualifications may have different portfolios, APS thresholds, admission assessments and registration pathways. Compare your actual offer letter with the approved fields, and confirm whether the exact institutional programme is within the bursary scope.

A DHS scholarship award would support study under its agreement; it does not replace admission or professional-registration requirements.

Construction Management and Construction Science are both named. Construction management professionals coordinate schedules, budgets, site processes, materials, quality assurance and the delivery of works. Construction science addresses technical and analytical aspects of how projects are built.

An interest in construction can lead to many different occupations, and not every general business-management diploma is a construction-management qualification. Use the Careers and Qualifications Explorer to investigate recognised disciplines.

Students interested in technical training can also explore CETA and other pathways on the SETA Platform for general career research; those courses are not automatically funded by this specific DHS scholarship.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is expressly listed. GIS integrates location-based data, mapping, spatial analysis and digital tools to help answer questions about land, infrastructure, service delivery and environmental constraints.

A prospective GIS student should research the exact degree or diploma title and ask DHS if the university’s programme wording differs from the Advert. Field-related subjects may involve geography, mathematics, statistics, computing and spatial methods, depending on institution.

Compare occupational demand research through the National Skills Intelligence Explorer, remembering that it is historical skills evidence rather than a list of scholarship-approved qualifications or live jobs.

Quantity Surveying, Building Surveying and Land Surveying are three distinct names in the Advert. Quantity surveying focuses on construction measurement, costs and financial control. Building surveying concerns built-asset condition, inspection and related technical questions. Land surveying concerns spatial measurement, land locations and boundaries.

These fields have different academic content, professional structures and employment contexts. A learner who enjoys numbers, precision and practical built-environment problems could research each through the University Explorer and Career & Qualification Explorer.

Do not apply under an invented “surveying bursary stream” or assume one qualification satisfies all three fields. There is one DHS application route, with the intended study entered on the official form.

The DHS Advert requests a provisional or acceptance letter from a public institution of higher learning. It does not list a pre-approved set of universities, nor does it give an exception for a private institution.

1. Search for relevant courses and qualifications on the Edupstairs University Explorer.
2. Check the university’s latest official admission requirements and whether your offer is provisional or final.
3. Confirm that the qualification name matches an advertised DHS study field.
4. Download the acceptance document with your name, institution and qualification visible.
5. If you intend to study at a TVET College, use the TVET College Explorer for programme research but obtain DHS confirmation before assuming the scholarship covers that type of qualification.

The scholarship does not guarantee a university place. Applying for a bursary and applying for admission are two different processes.

The Advert expressly names five categories of expenses supported by the scholarship. It does not state a fixed rand amount, a payment schedule, a residence price cap or whether particular external costs are reimbursed. Those details should be confirmed in the award terms.

Covered item	What the Advert confirms
Registration	Registration expenses are included.
Tuition fees	Tuition is included.
Prescribed textbooks and course materials	Required books and course material are included.
Residence	Residence is included.
Meals	Meals are included.

Use the interactive funding filter in this chapter to distinguish expressly advertised categories from details that are not quantified.

The Advert is unusually clear about expenses that are not covered. Applicants should not budget on the assumption that this scholarship provides a monthly cash allowance.

Explicitly not covered	Practical consequence
Stipend / monthly allowance	Do not plan on receiving an extra monthly cash payment.
Transport costs	Budget for travel to and from campus or home.
Photocopying	Check printing and copying needs separately.
Bridging courses	Do not assume foundation or bridging modules are funded.
Membership affiliations	Professional or student membership costs are not included.
Laundry services	Laundry costs remain the student’s responsibility.

Registration, tuition, residence and meals are listed as covered, but financial limits and payment mechanisms are not spelled out. If your personal situation requires transport or other support, investigate separately without claiming DHS funds it.

The Advert targets youth with no previous tertiary qualification. The official form still asks whether you have a previous qualification, which is a disclosure question—not permission to hide a completed degree. Respond truthfully.

The form also asks about bursaries, study loans and other funding. The Advert does not specify a blanket prohibition on submitting an application while awaiting the outcome of another scholarship. Disclose existing support and seek an official clarification about the conditions that apply.

Never change dates, qualifications or funding histories to appear eligible.

The Advert specifies five documents. Prepare each as a readable digital attachment before composing your application email.

1. Proof of current/previous academic standing: a copy of June or December Matric results.
2. Identity: copy of your South African ID.
3. Institution: provisional or acceptance letter from a public institution of higher learning.
4. Financial need: proof of financial status, for example a parent or guardian salary slip, as appropriate.
5. Official application form: completed DHS scholarship PDF downloaded from the department’s website.

The form’s Section G specifically lists four attachment categories because the completed form is the primary application document. The Advert includes the form as an additional required item. Both agree on the need for an ID, Matric results, acceptance letter and financial evidence.

Make sure the name and ID number on your documents match. The official form asks for clear, accurate information and says incomplete applications will not be considered.

Use the official DHS Scholarship Application Form for Full-Time Study (PDF) linked directly from the DHS 2027 scholarship announcement. The download contains three pages. Do not use the 2026 intake’s old email address or deadline; the 2027 form states dhs2027scholarship@thenkalagroup.co.za and 30 November 2026.

• Page 1: applicant personal information, existing qualification disclosure and preferred studies.
• Page 2: parent/guardian or next-of-kin information, funding history, motivation and document checklist.
• Page 3: declaration, applicant signature, applicable parent/guardian signatures and dates.

DHS instructs applicants to use block letters, give concise answers, mark choices with an X where applicable, and attach the supporting evidence.

Section A — Applicant particulars: title, South African ID number, names, surname, gender, race, disability information, nationality, province, municipality, home language, residential address, postal code, telephone numbers and email.

Section B — Current studies: disclose any previous qualification and provide the qualification name and completion year where applicable.

Section C — Intended qualification: enter first and second study choices and the public institution where you intend to study. The form uses Town and Regional Planning and Quantity Surveying as example fields, not as a restriction to those two only.

Complete each applicable section carefully. Do not put sensitive identity information into an Edupstairs quiz or community comment. Only send documents to the confirmed DHS submission route.

Section D collects particulars for two parent/guardian/next-of-kin entries: identity number, initials, surname, relationship, occupation, residential address, postal code and telephone details.

Section E asks about other bursaries, scholarships, donors, study loans or funding; the awarding establishment and year obtained may also be requested. Answer what applies to you, honestly and accurately.

If an item does not apply or your family circumstances are unusual, clarify how to complete it with DHS rather than copying somebody else’s details.

Section F of the official application form asks you to motivate why you should be considered. This is not a place to exaggerate your achievements or simply write “I need money.” Explain the connection between your actual Matric performance, your financial circumstances, your intended field and the community impact you hope to contribute.

1. Name your exact intended qualification and public institution.
2. Describe genuine results, projects, subjects or experiences that show readiness for the field.
3. Explain financial circumstances factually and respectfully.
4. Connect your career interest to housing, settlement planning, infrastructure, safety or community development.
5. Conclude with a credible commitment to study responsibly and meet scholarship conditions.

Example of a truthful opening: “I am applying to study [qualification] because I want to contribute to [specific settlement challenge]. My interest developed through [your genuine experience], and I am seeking financial support because [truthful explanation].” Do not submit bracketed placeholders.

Try the private editable Motivation Builder in this section. It provides a structure only: it does not generate a guaranteed approval or submit information to DHS.

Section H requires the applicant to declare that the supplied information is true and correct, sign and date the application. It states that successful candidates will be expected to sign a bursary contract.

The final page also includes parent/guardian signature spaces, including a specific instruction for applicants who are still minors. Confirm the applicable signatures before scanning and sending all three pages.

An unsigned declaration or a missing page could make an otherwise strong application incomplete. The official form warns that missing information or requested documentation can lead to disqualification.

There is one official email application route, not a general online registration portal. Follow the department’s instructions and include the completed form plus the required attachments.

1. Open the official DHS 2027 announcement and download the official three-page application form.
2. Confirm that you meet the Advert’s citizenship, academic, financial-need, previous-qualification, study-field and institution conditions.
3. Complete sections A–H of the form; sign the declaration and obtain any applicable guardian signature.
4. Attach ID, Matric or June results, provisional/acceptance letter and financial-status proof.
5. Check that the entire form and supporting documents are clear and legible.
6. Compose an email addressed exactly to dhs2027scholarship@thenkalagroup.co.za.
7. Use a clear subject such as DHS Scholarship 2027 – Applicant Name – Intended Qualification. This is an Edupstairs suggestion, not a prescribed DHS subject.
8. Email the full application before 30 November 2026; the Advert gives no exact time.
9. Keep copies of your sent email and attachments. Sending an email does not guarantee receipt review or a scholarship award.

For basic bursary planning, consult the Edupstairs Bursary and NSFAS Eligibility Checker. It does not replace DHS selection.

The department’s official 2027 scholarship webpage and PDF instruct applicants to send the completed application to dhs2027scholarship@thenkalagroup.co.za. The address uses the thenkalagroup.co.za domain, not dhs.gov.za. Although third-party domain addresses require care, this particular destination is explicitly printed on the official government webpage and form.

To protect your identity documents, open the DHS government announcement yourself and cross-check the exact spelling immediately before emailing. Do not substitute an address from a social-media comment or an older bursary advert.

The department’s official website lists 0800 1 (HOUSE) 46873 as the housing call centre and info@dhs.gov.za as its general information email. These are for independent confirmation or enquiries; the designated scholarship submission address is the one above.

Never pay a third party to “secure” scholarship approval.

Milestone	Confirmed detail
Applications open	2 November 2026
Closing date	30 November 2026
Closing hour	Not specified in DHS announcement or Advert
Award decisions	No confirmed public selection timetable
2027 university studies	Scholarship is intended for the 2027 academic year
Number of selected students	Not specified
Formal agreement	Successful applicants expected to sign a bursary contract

No interview, application-status dashboard, guaranteed turnaround, placement or payment date is provided in the 2027 Advert or application form. Avoid interpreting silence as either approval or rejection.

The form specifically warns that incomplete and late applications will not be considered.

Strong applications make it easy for reviewers to establish who you are, what you plan to study, whether the field qualifies, why you need financial assistance and whether the application is complete. They do not rely on emotional claims that cannot be supported by documents.

• Use your legal names and exact ID number consistently.
• Read the institution’s provisional-offer conditions; do not present a provisional place as unconditional acceptance.
• Confirm that your intended qualification corresponds to a DHS field.
• Provide genuine results; do not edit screenshots of marks.
• Give straightforward financial information and disclose other funding.
• Write a brief, specific motivation supported by actual achievements.
• Make sure all three PDF pages—including the declaration—are attached.
• Check attachment file names and scan clarity on a mobile device before sending.

A logical order for attachments is: DHS form, ID, results, acceptance/provisional admission and financial-status evidence. DHS does not prescribe this order; it is Edupstairs organisation advice.

Before selecting a first and second study choice on the form, research universities and qualifications. The Edupstairs University Explorer helps candidates compare faculties, courses and recorded admissions criteria. In many programmes, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Geography or particular APS levels may matter—but the exact rule depends on the university.

Use the APS calculator and funding eligibility checker to calculate an approximate score for planning. For Matric revision, explore Edupstairs Matric Past Exam Papers and Memoranda. These tools are supplementary; DHS will assess scholarship eligibility using its own criteria.

For example, a student interested in Architecture should compare Architecture and Architectural Technology admission criteria instead of assuming the names are interchangeable.

The Edupstairs TVET College Explorer can help students investigate accredited college options, engineering and construction programmes, campuses and application processes. TVET colleges can be valuable pathways into built-environment work.

However, the DHS Advert requests an acceptance from a public institution of higher learning and does not explicitly list every TVET qualification as scholarship-eligible. Do not represent the TVET Explorer as proof of funding.

Students exploring technical alternatives can consult the Edupstairs TVET Past Exam Papers Library for revision and SETA programme pathways for industry-related training.

Your choice should be guided by more than the word “engineering”. Look at the subjects you enjoy, what the occupation actually involves, the qualifications required and the kind of work you want to do.

• Career & Qualification Explorer — search recognised careers, SAQA qualifications, NQF levels and occupation links.
• Career Discovery — explore a personal occupational-interest profile; not a scholarship eligibility score.
• QCTO Accredited Providers Explorer — investigate provider accreditation for alternative occupational courses; not a DHS scholarship provider list.
• Edupstairs Community — ask general career questions without posting IDs, income evidence or completed forms.

Use these tools to make an informed 2027 study decision, then verify your chosen institution through its own official admissions channels.

The National Skills Intelligence Explorer combines career classifications with available skills research. It can help you compare the long-term work context for civil engineering, planning, geospatial work and construction occupations, but it is not a real-time vacancy forecast or a list of DHS-approved degrees.

The Edupstairs SETA Platform lets readers investigate occupational programmes from all 21 South African SETAs. CETA is particularly relevant to construction and the built environment. Programme listings are for research; individual grants and bursaries must be separately advertised and verified.

No other funding programme linked in this article is automatically part of the DHS Scholarship Programme.

The 2027 DHS Advert does not list an ATS CV as a compulsory attachment. Nevertheless, a student can prepare a truthful CV and keep a list of academic achievements, projects, volunteering and leadership for future internships, scholarships or university applications.

Use the Edupstairs ATS CV and Career Assistant to organise relevant information. Do not attach a CV to DHS unless the department specifically requests it or you have confirmed an acceptable optional-submission policy. The required documents are stated in the Advert and official form.

Similarly, a motivation paragraph on the DHS form is mandatory in its Section F; a separate multi-page motivation letter is not expressly listed as required.

One scholarship is not a complete funding strategy. Edupstairs has recently published the following separate bursary guides. They have different requirements, study fields, application routes and deadlines. Do not copy DHS requirements into these other programmes or assume that their applications remain open without checking.

• Land Bank Bursary Programme 2027 — Agricultural studies and distinct eligibility criteria; advertised closing 30 Nov 2026.
• Mercedes-Benz South Africa Bursary Programme 2027 — Engineering, technology and business disciplines; advertised closing 12 Nov 2026.
• City of Ekurhuleni Community Bursaries 2027 — Gauteng residents and selected fields; advertised closing 30 Nov 2026.
• Northern Coal University and TVET College Bursaries for 2027 — Specific engineering and mining technical pathways; advertised closing 30 Nov 2026.
• SIOC-CDT Bursary Programme 2027 — Place- and field-specific awards; advertised closing 30 Nov 2026 at 12:00.
• Silulumanzi Bursary Fund 2027 — Engineering and water-related technical fields; advertised closing 30 Nov 2026.
• KZN EDTEA Economics Bursary Programme 2027 — KZN-focused economics funding, hand-delivery route; advertised closing 30 Nov 2026.
• PSG Financial Services Bursary Programme 2027 — Separate quantitative and related degree categories; advertised closing 20 Dec 2026.

Browse the wider Edupstairs Bursaries Hub for additional scholarship and bursary news. For the previous cycle, DHS Scholarship Programme 2026 is background information only; its dates and application details do not govern the 2027 intake.

• Applying for a degree outside the named fields without seeking clarification.
• Sending the older DHS intake form or using last year’s address.
• Assuming “exceptional Matric results” means a fabricated specific APS threshold.
• Forgetting income evidence or a provisional acceptance letter.
• Leaving the motivation section empty or using untruthful generic claims.
• Sending only the first page and omitting parent/guardian and declaration pages.
• Assuming the bursary pays transport or a monthly stipend although the Advert explicitly excludes these.
• Trusting social-media addresses without matching them to the official government source.
• Waiting until 30 November to start finding documents.

Each of these mistakes is avoidable through early, accurate document preparation. However, completing every step does not guarantee an award; DHS retains the final selection decision.

First, confirm your fit. Your results, family circumstances, chosen degree and admission letter need to support the scholarship’s purpose. If one essential item is missing, focus on clarifying or obtaining it, not on hoping the reviewer will overlook it.

Second, plan around exclusions. This programme does not advertise a monthly stipend, transport, photocopying or laundry. Think about how you will cover those costs if selected. Compare other lawful funding pathways without falsely declaring that other bursaries are automatically compatible.

Third, think beyond application day. Use Career Discovery to explore interests, the University Explorer to investigate admissions and the Skills Intelligence Explorer to read occupational research. These steps improve career decisions even if a particular bursary application is unsuccessful.

Edupstairs is an independent South African opportunities, education and careers publisher. Edupstairs does not run the DHS Scholarship Programme 2027, receive scholarship applications, access applicants’ private documents, select awardees, negotiate bursary contracts or guarantee awards.

All official eligibility, documentation, institution, funding, acceptance and contracting decisions are made by the Department of Human Settlements or its authorised administration. Applicants should review the official DHS announcement and official application PDF before applying. Never transfer money to anybody promising a guaranteed government scholarship.

The external email domain is reproduced because DHS publishes it directly on the official source. Always verify the live destination yourself before sharing identity or income documents.

Primary sources reviewed on 10 November 2026: the uploaded DHS 2027 Advert, the DHS government scholarship announcement and the official three-page scholarship application form. The study fields, citizenship, academic standard, financial need, previous-qualification condition, covered and excluded expenses, required evidence, application method and deadline come from those sources.

Source-specific details: the official PDF supplies sections A–H, parent/guardian declarations, scholarship disclosure, motivation field and signature instructions. The Advert provides the explicit list of covered and excluded expense categories. The government webpage repeats the confirmed external application email.

Not published as numeric facts: fixed percentage or APS threshold, exact award value, number of scholarship recipients, age bounds, a closing hour, a complete list of approved institutions, treatment of every simultaneous-funding case or guaranteed employment. Edupstairs has not invented them.

Independent Edupstairs research: explanations of occupations, study alternatives, tools, CV preparation and related bursary guides are editorial guidance, not extra DHS scholarship conditions.