College Bursaries for University Students

college-bursaries
College Bursaries
Many students attending a university may have heard of something called college bursaries and are looking to find more information on the topic. Well, look no further – we intend to drop a good amount of information regarding what a college bursary is, how best to take advantage of them and how to prepare for applying to them. As a general rule of thumb, college bursaries do not have to be repaid, making them a fantastic alternative to student loans. On top of this, in many areas of the world where college bursaries are offered, the programs are available on a regional basis limiting competition to a smaller pool of students. Though these pools will still be relatively large depending on the amount of students enrolled at a student’s college of choice, it still certainly beats competing over bursaries offered at the national level outside of colleges.

Bursaries for college come in many different forms. Some are designed to help students with exceptional financial need while still others are built to award those students who perform well in their academic pursuits. There are also many college bursaries which are offered through individual departments looking to help students who have already selected fields of interest for a future career afford their college education. Without a doubt, college bursaries should be the first stop for any student seeking financial aid, long before they apply for student loans and probably before they start looking at national or privately offered programs.

A college bursary is a financial aid program offered by an individual college that does not have to be repaid after graduation. These programs are very normally relatively small compared to larger national or private offerings, but, as any student applying for financial aid should already know, every little bit counts. College bursary programs are offered at different levels, sometimes to the entire college or only to those students in particular fields. For instance, the College of New Caledonia offers two college bursaries every year through their Office Management and Supervision courses to students entering college for the first time and taking a full semester. While the award amount is only $250, it is certainly better than nothing and helps a student work towards their total goal of funding needs. Students interested in this Canadian college bursary must be residents of British Columbia enrolled at the College of New Caledonia and must have their bursary application submitted by February 27, 2011.

The Audrey Hansen International Study Abroad college bursary offered to Vancouver Island University students is a good example of a program offered more widely to all students at a college. This program gives out one $1,000 award every year for students at any classman level attending either full or part time. They can be studying in any chosen field but must be working towards a bachelor degree. The deadline for this college bursary is February 28, 2011.

As can be seen by the above two examples, not all college bursaries follow the same deadline. This applies also when you are applying for programs at the same university – not every program is going to have a submission date on the same day. The English and Canadian college bursary systems have a fairly handy application process, however, which allows students to submit a single form to their university’s financial aid office. When this form is submitted, all college bursaries offered locally which a student is eligible for will be applied to. This means two very important things to students looking for financial aid through these sources. First, students will need to be on the ball and apply for college bursaries as soon as they are able. The earlier a student applies the more university bursaries they will be able to have their application submitted to, maximizing their overall potential for financial aid. The second thing this should mean to a student is that they need to be prepared to apply as early as possible. This means having financial information, citizenship records, proof of enrollment and any other necessary documents readily available during the application process. By being organized and prepared, a student will be more likely to cover all potential college bursaries for which they are eligible further increasing their chances at aid.

14 thoughts on “College Bursaries for University Students”

  1. My daughter is studying at damelin towards a business management diploma in her 1st year Please confirm if any funding would be available for her and how do i go about applying

    1. nathan,

      you must make an appointment with the FinAids office at the college to discuss ALL your student aid options. Many need based grants/scholarships/bursaries could be what she needs or qualifies for..

    1. mpho,

      there is no one universal bursary form. Each company or government who sponsors their own bursary program will have specific forms or online forms in which you must take the time to fill out.

  2. Hello all. I am a first year BA student in psychology. I’m in need of financial assistance
    , Anyone who might know of bursaries in that field. Please feel free to leave a reply. Regards, Lorenzo

    1. lorenzo,

      this site does not offer bursaries. We write about the various ones available today and you can apply to them by clicking on the links in the bursary articles.

  3. there is this boy who passed matric last year, now he is doing nothing at home, his results are great, what can he do now to get bursary or money to further his studies, he want to do land survey, please assist, i really want to help him i don’t know how, because i am doing in service training, no income. just guide please.

    1. TEBOGO,

      advise him to apply to his specific government bursary programs immediately. They are need based and easier to get. He should apply to as many online bursary programs then. Online bursary programs are easiest to apply to (apply right from your computer). Then move on to apply to the more time consuming programs last.

      Go to finding bursaries online. Read also how to find bursaries.

    1. Kagisho,

      when you apply to any bursary the sponsor of the bursary will have their own separate bursary application – usually online to fill out and submit. We do not offer direct bursary programs but write about those who do. You can go to these bursary sponsors via online and apply.

  4. Hie,
    I ve got certificate in tropical agriculture so I want to go further with my studies where can I gate a scholarship for Bsc degree in agriculture.
    Regards,
    Edwin

    1. Edwin,

      sitting down with the financial aids manager at the university you want to attend will always give you the most options for bursaries in which you can apply to. They have the newest ones at their disposal.

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