A bursary is a form of financial aid provided to deserving students, which normally pays their tuition fees and some cost related to their studies. This amount of financial support received by a student is dependent on the bursary they receive.
Some bursaries are comprehensive and cover a student's full tuition and provide them with several allowances while other bursaries may only cover a percentage of a student's tuition fees.
A bursary can be provided by any company, organisation, private individual, government department or by academic institution.
Bursaries are awarded to students for several different reasons. These can include a student being awarded for academic or athletic achievements or based on a student's financial needs.
The most common bursary provider in South Africa is the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas). Nsfas currently provides bursaries to more than 700,000 students in South Africa.
Students will need to apply for bursaries. These applications will usually involve students providing information which proves they qualify for funding. This will include providing bursary application documentation.
Bursaries can cover students for the duration of their studies or just for a short period. The best thing about bursaries is that beneficiaries are not required to repay the money. However, many bursaries have conditions which students must meet to qualify and keep their bursary funding.
There are many bursaries available to students studying in South Africa. However, many students don’t know where to find and apply for these bursaries.
Information on bursaries, including qualifying criteria, closing date and what they cover can be found on The Bursaries Portal.
