A bursary is a form of financial aid provided to deserving students who have met the eligibility criteria set out by the body providing the funding. This amount of financial support received by a student is dependent on the bursary they receive.
Bursaries will usually pay for a student's tuition fees or may pay a percentage of the total tuition fees. Some more comprehensive bursaries cover other costs related to their studies which can include transport, accommodation and equipment costs.
Bursaries can be awarded to students for several different reasons. These reasons may be due to a student's academic or athletic achievements or based on a student's financial needs.
How Often Do You Get A Bursary?
It depends on your bursary requirements. Most bursaries will only fund students for one academic year. Students may need to reapply each year for the entire duration of their studies.
This as students are required to meet certain academic requirements to qualify for continued funding. Failure to meet these requirements could result in a student losing their bursaries.
The most popular bursary in South Africa is provided to deserving students through the National Student Financial Scheme (Nsfas).
Nsfas will fund students for the number of years it takes to complete the qualification they are enrolled in plus an additional two years.
However, this is just one example. Information on the length of time a student will receive a bursary is provided by the funders in their bursary agreements.
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.
