In an effort to establish equality in the education sector, government has pledged its support to underprivileged or disadvantaged students through various financial aid schemes, with NSFAS being the largest contributor. Government also offers sector specific bursaries directly through its different departments.
Some private organisations and individuals have joined government's efforts to provide funding to students who are unable to finance their own studies. This gives disadvantaged students a variety of sources for funding that can cater to various avenues of study.
Repayment options for general bursaries are flexible, and in some cases, like that of NSFAS, students are not expected to repay their bursaries, and academic requirements are not as stringent as scholarships. However, because the demand for such a bursary is high, students will be expected to provide a range of personal details and documents in order to qualify.
Things like an identity document, proof of residence and parent pay slips are some examples of the documents applicants will be asked to provide. Benefactors may also request a letter of motivation, in which students must explain why they should be selected to receive the bursary.
Only those who submit their application within the stipulated time frame will be considered for selection, unless they have received special permission. Still, however, once a student receives their bursary, the work does not end there, and they will have to maintain a passing grade of a certain level, depending on the type of bursary scheme they obtain.
Bear in mind that the bursary will be revoked if you do not manage to meet the requirements and, in some cases, you might be obligated to pay back the money. This is not a contract that should be entered into lightly and will require hard work and dedication on the part of the student.
While the process of obtaining a bursary can be difficult and drawn out, it can greatly reduce the stress of high tuition fees and make a tertiary education possible. For more details visit the NSFAS website at www.nsfas.org.za
