Absa Historical Debt Relief Programme 2025

About Absa Historical Debt Relief

The Absa Group is one of Africa’s most established and diversified financial institutions, offering banking and financial services across the continent. Through its CSI initiatives, Absa invests in education, skills development and employability programmes. The Absa Historical Debt Relief Programme is designed to support graduates who have completed their studies but cannot obtain their certificates due to outstanding historical fees. This initiative plays a key role in helping graduates enter the job market and progress into meaningful career opportunities.

Fields Covered

The Absa Historical Debt Relief Programme is open to graduates who completed degrees in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) or in fields aligned with the Digital Economy and Green Economy. Applicants must have completed their studies at one of the following institutions:
University of Limpopo
University of Venda
Tshwane University of Technology
Mangosuthu University of Technology
University of Zululand

About the Programme

The Historical Debt Relief Programme was established to help graduates who have completed all academic requirements but cannot graduate due to unpaid fees. This financial barrier prevents many students from accessing employment opportunities or pursuing further studies. Through this initiative, the Absa CSI Trust covers outstanding historical debt for eligible graduates from selected universities.

As part of its commitment to youth employability, Absa also collaborates with the Youth Employment Service to support these graduates in securing work opportunities. This partnership helps beneficiaries transition into the workplace, gain experience and build long-term career paths. To ensure effective administration, the Feenix Trust manages the debt clearance process on behalf of the Absa CSI Trust.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Absa Historical Debt Relief Programme, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• You must be a South African citizen.
• You must have completed a degree in a STEM field or a field aligned to the Digital Economy or Green Economy.
• You must not be currently studying.
• You must have studied at one of the following institutions: University of Limpopo, University of Venda, Tshwane University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, or the University of Zululand.
• You must be unable to graduate due to outstanding historical debt.
• You must be unemployed at the time of application and not registered for any studies.
• Your total household income must be below R700 000 per year.

Required Documents

Applicants must submit the following documents when completing the online application form:
Certified copy of ID (not older than 6 months)
Letter of completion or proof of registration with an official university stamp or letterhead
Completed EEA1 Form in PDF format (your full name must appear under “Name of Employee” and your university student number under “Employee workplace number”)

How to Apply

Applications must be completed and submitted online through the official Absa Debt Relief Programme application portal. Applicants will be required to provide personal details, academic information and upload all supporting documents.

Closing Date

The closing date for the Absa Historical Debt Relief Programme is 1 December 2025. Late applications will not be accepted, so applicants are encouraged to submit well before the deadline.

Contact Information

For assistance or queries about the programme, applicants should contact Feenix, which administers the programme:
The official contact page for support is available through the Feenix platform.