Nurses work to understand and provide to the human needs of their patients, while doctors provide patients with treatment and medical procedures.
Nursing is a care-driven career that can be thought of as putting the 'care' in health care, because as much as doctors are essential in healthcare, so are nurses.
Students looking to take on this essential career path might benefit from pursuing scholarships and bursaries that could help fund their education efforts.
Here are a few scholarships and bursaries you can apply for if you're pursuing nursing:
The Western Cape Government offers a limited number of bursaries to students wishing to study nursing full time. The bursary is only open to South African citizens in the Western Cape studying at an accredited Higher Education Institution.
The Department of Health in KwaZulu Natal also has nursing bursaries available to students intending to study towards a health-related degree/diploma. The funding for the bursary is dependent on the income of the applicant's parents.
The Gauteng Government Department of Health offers financial assistance in form of bursaries to candidates who intend to pursue a Diploma of Nursing course.
The Government of KwaZulu-Natal offers provincial bursaries to qualifying students who are from Kwa Zulu Natal. These bursaries apply to students who are already studying for a degree or diploma in nursing. Funding for this bursary is done on a sliding scale subject to the parent’s income.
The Limpopo Department of Health Bursary, another of the bursaries and scholarships for Nursing in South Africa, is given to financially needy and deserving students. This bursary covers registration fees, tuition, a textbook allowance, meals, and accommodation. South African citizens living in the Limpopo Province are encouraged to apply for this bursary.
NetCare Bursaries are offered to gifted and self-motivated young individuals who display a desire to care for those who are ill. These individuals should also display a desire to effect change in their communities. Applicants should be South African citizens who can provide proof of their need for financial aid.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a government organization under the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) that provides financial aid to disadvantaged students who are not able to meet the cost of tertiary studies.
NSFAS provides bursaries to South African citizens who intend to study at public universities or TVET colleges. This bursary scheme covers tuition fees, accommodation fees, textbooks, meals, and accommodation.
The bursaries and scholarships for nursing in South Africa listed above are definitely worth looking into if you are intending to get funding for your nursing course.
