south african bursaries

Government Bursaries offered from Various Countries

International students who want an education in other countries should look into direct government bursaries for student aid to help pay for their college.

Government Bursaries from Countries — Government Bursaries from Various Countries

International students looking to get their education in other countries want to look into the individual countries government bursaries to cover their cost to attend a college or university. Most all do have student bursaries with some type of student aid to help do this.

You may be just a regular student who is just looking for bursaries from your own government – this will also help you too!

Seeking direct government educational assistance in the form of bursaries, or other student financial aid offered by the various governments is the smart students way to pay for an education in other countries.

If students know where to apply, it may be as easy as filling out & submitting the required paperwork to receive student bursaries, grants, scholarships or other forms of student awards offered by governments throughout the world.

Some countries may use the terminology as bursaries, or scholarships & grants. They all mean the same thing – no repayment is necessary by the student once they are given the student financial aid award.

Below are various countries and their respective website locations to help students seek bursaries and other various forms of educational financial assistance to cover the cost of attendance.

Scholarships and Bursaries from Canada

Canada’s Provinces and Territories handle their bursaries and student aid separate, and at the same time also have access to a central bursary system for their students. Below we cover these.

Other Canadian Bursaries from CanLearn

CanLearn.ca is a service for Canadian students which provides the student aid information and other needed services so they can decide what field to study, what university to go to study and how to cover their costs.

CanLearn strives to offer trusted information & services to help Canadian students save, plan & finally pay for their education. CanLearn gives necessary resources to help students to masterfully make good educational decisions.

The CanLearn site was developed by the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments and Canadian learning and career development organizations.

Alberta Bursaries

A bursary is a monetary grant given to a student based on a demonstrated financial need or satisfactory academic achievement. Scholarships are a monetary award given to a student for academic excellence in a specific area of study, or for athletic excellence.

Ontario Bursaries

For a resource on Canadian bursaries from Ontario.

OSAP Canada Bursaries

When students apply for OSAP student aid assistance they are automatically evaluated for many grant & bursary programs offered by the federal & provincial government. Whether students are awarded the grant funds, it will depend on an eligibility criteria which will include student family income tiers. This is a great Canadian resource for students looking for student financial assistance.

Concordia University Bursries

This university nicely displays bursaries & student aid by Canadian Provincial & Territory so students can easily navigate for what they are looking for based on location and aid provided.

Study in Sweden Bursaries & Scholarships

Swedish scholarships are similar to bursaries.This website is a all-inclusive resource for higher education in Sweden for current & prospective international students. Many other scholarships are offered on this site too.

South African Bursaries

This is the official website of South Africa which has a comprehensive list of a multitude of South African bursaries and it is nicely categorized based on what occupation a student would like to study. For instance they have a listing of accounting/Law/Engineering/Health-science/Sport bursaries just to name a few. They have many others though.
Go to: http://bursaries-southafrica.co.za/ to see their home page which is impressively laid out!

United Kingdom Bursaries

This UK government website talks about bursaries and scholarships but one must search to find what they are looking for. Best suggestion is to type in ‘bursaries’ in the search bar in the upper right corner and you will find what you are looking for in the search results which come up.

Ireland Bursaries

The nidirect website is the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens. This website was designed to make things easier to find for the user; such as easy to access government information and services. Bursaries and financial aid can easily be found too.

Western Cape Bursaries

The official Western Cape Government website was created as a single point of access to government information & services for citizens of the Western Cape. Lots of government bursaries are offered, along with a listing of universities offering them too. A list of bursaries from National Departments, Public Entities, and International are shown as well. Other programs are offered to students such as Learner-ships, Internships, Apprenticeships, and Artisan-ships. Places of Volunteering to charitable organizations are also listed.

The above is a great starting point in helping students look for government bursaries offered from other countries.

NMMU Bursaries from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

There are funds through NMMU bursaries and scholarships because they feel that investing in the future of people is well worth it.

NMMU Bursaries has Scholarships to Consider

There are funds through NMMU bursaries and scholarships because they feel that investing in the future of people is well worth it. They don’t view college as an expense but as a great investment that can make a difference. People that have a degree tend to earn more and they also seem to be happier because they go to work every day doing something that they love.

What are NMMU Bursaries?

If you aren’t familiar with the meaning of the letters, they stand for Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. This bursary is offered for students that attend the university. They also need to specialize in the B Ed or PGCE degree program that this university offers. Students that receive it will be required to teach for the same number of years that they got it at a public school. The maximum term for receiving the bursary is four years. This program is available to African Americans that live in South America.

Sources of Funding for NMMU Bursaries

The different sources of funding affect the amount of money offered through these bursaries and scholarships. The awards are also often financial need based. It is important to know that they aren’t government funded though. This means you could still qualify for some forms of financial aid through those government programs in addition to any bursaries.

Applying for NMMU Bursary Funds

Depending on the source of the funding, you may have to apply for NMMU bursaries funds or you may not. Sometimes, they are combined with your other financial aid forms. You just sign to give your consent that you agree for that information to be shared for determining eligibility for bursaries. Some schools do require a separate application though so you need to ask about this. You also need to find out when the deadline is so that you don’t miss getting your application submitted.

The Sepp Blatter Scholarship

This is a scholarship for African American students that show significant financial need. The funds can be quite substantial but they will go to those that show the best potential and the most need for the funds. The amount depends on the funding that is in place at that time.

Joshua Fullard Research Scholarship

This scholarship is offered to students that have a high GPA and that have significant financial need. There is an application that needs to be completed, but the deadline can vary based on the school. Make sure you ask about this particular program if you are in dire need of money to pay for your education. These funds vary in amount, but they are often very generous in terms of the amount dispersed.

Postgraduate NMMU Bursaries

Many of the NMMU bursaries offered are for postgraduate students. The funds are often dispersed for those that are studying in the areas of research and development. The amount of money available depends on the funding for that year and the number of applicants. The award amount also depends on the financial need of the recipient or recipients.

Bursary Institute of South Africa Makes Education Affordable

The Bursary Institute of South Africa helps to address the educational needs of students in South Africa by providing a bursary program.

The Bursary Institute of South Africa helps to address the educational needs of students in South Africa by providing a bursary program that allows students to save, plan and then pay for educational opportunities throughout South Africa. The Institute has established partnerships with a number of learning institutions and provides students access to a large number of courses through their bursary program. The courses cover diplomas and degrees across a wide array of professions. Once all application requirements have been satisfied, students are guaranteed to receive a bursary. The amount of the bursary may range between 25% and 100%.

By establishing a partnership with numerous training colleges, the Institute is able to offer an extensive array of educational opportunities to meet the diversified needs of students throughout South Africa. The objective of The Bursary Institute of South Africa is to help bridge the current gap between today’s youth, schools and the employment sector. Through a belief that education is still a vital element in obtaining access to employment, improved quality of life, economic prosperity and personal fulfillment, the organization hopes to help achieve growth for all citizens of South Africa.

The Institute also works to provide South African youth with services and information regarding post-matric studies, as well as assistance in decision making regarding what and where they should study. As a result of the Institute’s partnership agreements with educational facilities, students are able to study through a college of their choice.

Cornerstone College offer a number of certificate courses, including a three week programs in call center training, inbound call center training, outbound call center training, call center supervisor training and end user computer training.

Birnam Business College is also a partner of the Institute and offers a long list of diploma courses, including courses in banking and business management, information technology, hair and beauty, human resource management, journalism, marketing, medical administration, public relations, sound engineering, travel and advanced early childhood development.

Students receiving bursaries through the Bursary Institute of South Africa can also choose PC Training and Business College, where they can attend training that lasts from three months, six months, one year, two years and three years while pursuing certificates, diplomas and degrees. Courses include business administration, office administration, system development and system support.

The Platinum Campus offers diplomas in tourism, entrepreneurship, management, and certificates in basic financial life skills and business finance. Other training options include comprehensive computer literacy, database design, C++ programming, policing certificate training, electrical engineering, Microsoft administration, networking technician, hospitality and leisure, accounting, paralegal practice, sport administration, and HIV/Aids counseling and management.

During the post-Apartheid era in South Africa, the education system has experienced significant reforms in order that educational opportunities can be distributed more equitably to all citizens. In spite of improvements made in educational levels and literacy rates, significant numbers of young people continue to leave school each year lacking the critical skills necessary compete for employment. Only approximately 15% of the students who wrote final exams in South Africa in 2007 scored high enough in order to automatically qualify to attend university. Many more students remained at home due to in inability to pay expensive tuition fees. The ultimate goal of the Bursary Institute of South Africa is to fill the skills gap by making post school studies accessible at either a reduced cost or no cost through their bursary program.

Through the Institute’s program, students in South Africa gain the chance to further their studies through an FET college of their own choice by selecting a degree or diploma at a price they can afford. The Bursary Institute of South Africa structures a bursary that is specific to each person’s individual needs. Individuals who failed to graduate or dropped out of school are also provided with the opportunity to gain certain bursaries as well. Some bursaries are available for matric re-writes, financial sector and call center qualifications; where a matric pass may not be required. The balance of fees for a degree or diploma after the bursary from the BISA may be paid on installment payments; ensuring education remains affordable and accessible to all learners in South Africa.

Law Bursaries

Law bursaries are a great way for students to fund their education should they have the gumption to make it through a lot of work in college.

Law bursaries are a great way for students to fund their education should they have the gumption to make it through a lot of work in college. Students interested in a law bursary should know that, in most cases, these programs are available in South Africa, though some also have cousins across the world in the United Kingdom or even in Australia. Law firms very often rely on fresh blood to help keep the organization moving, either through helping with the books, writing up case briefs, or researching some of the facts on the ground. Those students who are lucky enough to get access to a law bursary will find that they will be introduced to their chosen professional field effectively well and they will likely start getting a taste of what is to come.

Doing a quick search on the internet reveals that there are a number of law bursaries available to students interested in the financial assistance, they only need apply themselves. Even in this economic climate many lawyers are still thriving financially and the firms which provide law bursaries are normally fairly well large and well known. Of course students looking for law bursaries should check not only with various firms but also with the colleges they are applying to as well as national organizations which connect students to bursaries as they are available.

National Law Bursaries in UK

LLM is a national organization which works to help students interested in the law get current information on the field and provide access to a number of law bursaries. They provide access to over 20 different legal bursaries in and around the United Kingdom. An example of what they have is the Birmingham Law School Legal Bursary program in which students will have access to up to 2,000 pounds or 5,000 pounds in financial aid depending on their origin. Applicants will need to be already accepted to Birmingham’s law program, have a strong academic history, and be able to show financial need. All submitted materials must be in no later than June 24.

Another law bursary offered through LLM is the University of Edinburgh Distance Learning program. Ten different law bursaries will be awarded every year of varying amounts. Students will need to be accepted into distance learning law courses, be residents of the UK, and be students of Edinburgh University. Application materials will need to be turned in by May 31.

Law Bursaries in South Africa

Norton Rose, a legal firm in South Africa, offers bursaries for law to promising students interested in the field. In 2011, the business sponsored over 20 different students around the country providing over R500, 000 in assistance. Students participate first in the “Vacation Program” in which they submit an application to work at the firm during a summer break. Successful applicants may go on to receive funding which will pay for much of their masters education. Like nearly all South African bursaries, students should know that by signing a bursar agreement they will be agreeing to work for the company after graduation to repay the amount of money spent with time worked. While this is still an excellent deal, students who want to sign up for a law bursary with Norton Rose should know for sure that they want to work in the field.

Another South African legal firm which offers law bursaries is Webber and Wentzel. Students interested in this program will receive R30, 000 to help pay for school and related expenses. All applicants will need to be from a disadvantaged background and be able to show financial need. While no specific grade point average is listed, students are expected to have a strong academic history and show great promise in the field of law. All application material is due by January 21.

DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is another South African firm which provides students with law bursaries. In order to be considered for the program students will need to be residents of South Africa, be enrolled in a law program full time, and have a strong academic history. The decision making process determines winners based on academic success and exceptional performance in other fields. This program provides complete funding for a student’s education including related expenses. All applications are to be submitted by September 1 of every year.

South African Scholarships and Bursaries

South African scholarships and bursaries are often considered the same thing in South Africa with minor differences.

South African scholarships and bursaries are often considered the same thing in South Africa with minor differences. Students in South Africa will likely be very aware of the prevalence of bursary schemes in their country, often having to exchange time worked after graduation for payment of school costs. Even the national bursary scheme as offered by the South African national government provides only loans which, depending on academic merit, may later result in the conversation of only some debt into non-repayable bursaries. As students in America are very well aware of scholarships and very rarely knowledgeable with regards to bursaries, students in South Africa will likely know much about bursary schemes but be very lacking on information regarding scholarship opportunities. Despite this difference in balance with regards to non-repayable funding, students in South Africa do have a robust series of South African scholarships to which they may apply.

For those students who are not interested in working at a particular business after graduation, or do not want to build up debt through national loans or bursaries should consider applying to South African scholarship programs available around the country. Though there are a fair number of programs available, a disproportionate number of these South African scholarships are available to post graduate learners attempting to earn a master’s or doctoral degree in their field. Also important to know is that many South African scholarships are available specifically through individual college departments and are considered highly competitive. Students interested in these programs should understand immediately that trying to get into an available program will require exceptional dedication and a high standard of academic history.

A good example of a college department providing South African scholarships is the Biological Invasions program offered by the Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University. This South African scholarship has only six positions available for interested applicants – three honors students, two Masters of Science, one PhD student and one post doctoral applicant. Developed to help in the Early Detection and Rapid Response Program these research oriented scholarships will bring students up to date on topics such as GIS mapping, taxonomy, population modeling, and evolutionary biology. All applicants are expected to be enthusiastic about their field and prepared to do intense research in the field. The scholarship provides enough money to cover both living expenses and university costs. In order to apply for this South African scholarship students will need to submit a research thesis indicating what relating to the Early Detection and Rapid Response Program they are interested in researching. The selection committee will consider all applications and make a decision based on the merit of submitted proposals.

The Canon Collins Trust provides a scholarship for students entering graduate school on almost any topic so long the student is able to describe how the study of a particular topic will help develop South Africa. This widely applicable South African Scholarship is a great way for students entering graduate education with an interest in helping in community development find additional funding for school. All South African students entering graduate school are eligible to apply for this program. In order to apply to this South African scholarship students will need to provide an official copy of their school transcripts, a small photo, two sealed reference letters from two professors or a single teacher and an employer. In order to get access to the award, however, applicants will need to capably explain how their education is going to aid in the development of South Africa. This can of course be tricky for students studying something like Literature, but certainly can be done. Applicants should explore what their interests are – are they interested in building reading in communities, for instance? By adequately explaining not only how a particular pursuit can be used to develop the country but also how an individual student will be applying that knowledge when they graduate will be a massive boon to any application. Currently applications are not open for 2011, but students should pay attention to the website because the program is expected to open again for applicants on April 1. At this time a deadline will be announced.

Exxaro Bursaries South Africa

As is common for large South African companies Exxarro bursaries in South Africa are available for students looking for financial aid.

As is common for large, successful South African companies, Exxarro bursaries in South Africa are available for students looking for financial aid with specific career goals in mind. Based in South Africa, Exxaro is a business which mines primarily coal, mineral sands, metals and industrial minerals. The company operates mining sites around the world but especially in Asia and Australia as well as throughout the African continent. Beyond mining operations, Exxaro has also recently been investigating the option of entering energy markets and in combination with their current activities is a great place to work if a person has a background in geology or engineering.

As nationally offered government bursaries are fairly uncommon or tied up in the potential of having to repay loans, looking at companies like Exxaro to help a student round out their financial aid needs is always a good idea. Common to many other South African bursary programs, students should expect to work for the company during or after graduation as they repay their debt through time worked. While this sort of deal may seem like it benefits the company more than it does the individual student, in reality providing a relatively stable job and immediate post undergraduate experiences are extremely valuable to freshly graduated students. Should their job not pan out after their repayment period comes to a close, these experiences will give students a background which will enhance their abilities to be hired by companies in the future. All in all, bursary schemes are a great way to find financial aid, and bursaries at Exxaro are no exception.

Students interested in bursaries from Exxaro should first take a moment to understand the basic eligibility requirements. Basic eligibility requires that students be at grade 12 preparing to graduate from a secondary institution scoring high on the math and sciences portion of the matriculation examinations. Further students must also be residents of South Africa and be interested in obtaining a degree from a specific field. The fields which an Exxaro bursary accepts is engineering, commerce and science. The specific degrees that Exxaro is looking for include but are not limited to degrees in mechanical, electrical or mining engineering, finance, information technology, geology or metallurgy. Exxaro bursaries are also made available for those students studying mining or mine surveying. As with many other South African bursary programs, Exxaro always maintains the right to limit what programs they will give bursaries to based on economic need.

Comparing Exxaro bursaries to other schemes available in South Africa it becomes pretty clear that the available program is on par with the status quo. Exxaro bursaries cover university tuition fees, registration costs, exam fees, living arrangements, food and also provides for basic spending money. Unlike some other bursary programs there is no indication that Exxaro bursaries provide for travel between home and a student’s university of choice. Of course this should by no means deter interested applicants from applying to the program as, should they win an award, the amount which Exxaro bursaries do cover overall is still immense.

Students who receive an Exxaro bursary are expected to sign a binding agreement which requires them to work for Exxaro until the relative amount of the bursary has been repaid through hours worked. In order to apply for this bursary scheme students are expected to hand write their application. In order to accomplish this task, students should prepare a curriculum vita expressing their learning experiences and job history. Further students will be expected to submit their grade 11 scores for analysis by the Exxaro selection committee on top of which their later grade 12 matriculation scores will be assessed. Only a limited number of Exxaro bursaries will be made available every year so it is necessary, due to the highly competitive nature of the program, to craft a CV which will indicate to the selection committee a sincere interest in engineering, mining or geological sciences. The deadline for Exxaro bursary scheme applicants is April 1, 2011.

Transnet Bursaries in South Africa

Students in South Africa should be well aware that bursary schemes such as the Transnet bursaries in South Africa are amongst the best in the country today.

Students in South Africa should be well aware that bursary schemes; such as the Transnet bursaries for example, or other schemes are not only incredibly common but amongst the best ways in the country to afford a college education. Many employers, large to small, provide bursary schemes which will in many cases pay for the entirety of a student’s education, but these programs are normally incredibly competitive. A good example of such a program comes from the Transnet bursary in South Africa provided by Transnet, a large company that some South Africans may be readily aware of. This company is the largest freight line logistics specialists in South Africa offering freight rail themselves, rail line engineering programs, operations of port authorities and various pipelines around the country transporting things like fuel or gas.

Because of their general operations it should not be surprising to students that the Transnet bursary scheme looks heavily for engineers, though IT degree seekers and most customer oriented students can look to this program for potential sources of funding as well. Like many other bursary providers, students who receive bursaries at Transnet will be required to work with the company after graduation, so this agreement will need to be seriously considered by all potential applicants. If a student does not really have much interest in this particular field it would be unwise to pursue a degree in it, much less apply for a bursary. Beyond this, because of the competitiveness of the program, students without a real zeal for the profession will likely be easily identified and left without funding.

The Transnet bursary, like many of its counterparts from different companies, pays for just about everything. To this end, tuition for school will be completely covered, living arrangements and meals are paid for, an allowance for books is available, and a computer can be paid for should the second year of education require one. Transnet bursaries also offer another benefit that is not as common in similar programs until graduation – it provides students with experiential training along the way allowing students to not only get a greater amount of use out of the overall bursary but gain a few extras to pad their resumes. Students who are awarded a Transnet bursary may decide on which South African university they will attend and have the added option of attending a technical university instead. Allowing for a diversity of fields, Transnet bursaries cover students interested in engineering with regards to industrial, electrical, mechanical, and civil work while also providing for those students interested in metallurgy.

Throughout the course of the application process, selected students will be interviewed, reviewed for academic success and assessed for medical fitness. Students who do not meet acceptable standards in any of these situations will not be eligible for the program.

Transnet bursaries are available to all South African citizens who are able to meet basic qualifying standards as set privately by the company and are interested in pursuing one of the above listed fields. As students progress in their academic studies, reward amounts will be renewed so long as academic success is an ongoing fact. Students who fail courses along the way will have to retake them at a cost to themselves, as taking a class over will not be covered by the Transnet bursary scheme. If a student continues to perform badly, Transnet reserves the right to consult with the student’s university to assess future possibilities of academic success and, if the assessment is poor, end the bursary scheme while requiring full repayment of all distributed funds. It is for this reason above all others that students who apply to the bursaires at Transnet, and others like it, perform well in school, refusing to let themselves slip along the way.

When vacation from university studies occurs, students will be able to pick up work in June-July and December through January. This additional work will give students important on the ground training and give them a heads up on the field they are entering, enabling them to learn more about their profession as they develop their skills in school. The Transnet bursaries in South Africa are comprehensive programs and one of the top level bursary schemes in the country and coveted by many serious students.

Eskom Bursaries for South African Students

Vodacom Bursaries in South Africa

Eskom Bursaries for South African Students

Eskom bursaries for South African students are offered by the Eskom company which is a major provider of power in South Africa.

Eskom bursaries for South African students are offered by the Eskom company which is a major provider of power in South Africa. Their energy portfolio ranges from traditional energy systems using natural gas or coal to more non-traditional methods such as nuclear and solar energy generation. Because of their heavy interest in electrical systems it should come as no surprise to bursary seekers that bursaries at Eskom are largely focused on those students intent on finding careers in engineering, though they also accept a limited number of applicants studying accounting, information systems and various sciences such as geohydrology.

Like many private companies in South Africa offering bursary program students who receive an award from an Eskom bursary will be expected to work with the company after graduation until their award amount is roughly paid off. As this is a fairly normal standard amongst South African bursary programs, students should be willing to accept this if they are serious about looking for financial aid. In part because of the amount of money companies like Eskom give out through their bursary programs, working after graduation is really not a lot to ask for in return. While Eskom reserves the right to end an awardees employment after their bursary obligations are repaid through time worked, it does offer a great opportunity for students to build up their resumes in case they must enter the work force.

The Eskom bursary application form is fairly long compared to other bursary schemes, but the extra requirements are in many ways a plus because they allow the student to further expound on their interests creating the potential for a strong application through activity outside of academics.

Eligibility for the Eskom bursary is fairly generic with respect to other major South African bursary programs. Students must be South African citizens graduating from a school inside of the country. Their academic marks must be good with matriculation scores in math, science and English at no lower than the C level. Interested students must have a sincere passion for one of the eligible fields as listed above and they must be entering their first year of college at an accredited South African university.

The Eskom bursary covers all university and related fees such as exams and registration. Further the program also pays for living expenses and meals while also providing monetary support for books and basic spending money. Applicants must have all relevant material submitted no later than August 31 for each academic year. Because of the high amount of money the program offers for financial aid, students should be prepared for heavy competition. The application itself is a great place to talk skills and interests up, so be sure to review it carefully while ensuring the information provided is the best available.

Apart from going over the normal application requirements such as scores or citizenship status, the bursaries at Eskom application form have a decent space for more information regarding an applicant’s life. There is an allotted space for work history, giving students an opportunity to outline their dedication to various employers. Later in the application a section for interests and hobbies will allow a student to further detail their life, indicating to the selection committee honest passions for the field they have chosen. Questions relating to outstanding achievements should be used to indicate community work or academic awards. Cultural activities is a great place to list clubs students have participated in or volunteer experiences they have had in their local community. The hobbies section will certainly provide a moment for those who have picked up amateur electronics to show their real interest in engineering.

Finally, towards the end of the application, students will be able to describe why they are so interested in their chosen field. Use all of these available spaces wisely as they are relatively limited in room. List only those things which indicate your passions, interests or other factors which may make a selection committee look at your application more favorably. This is how to increase your chances of being awarded Eskom bursaries from South Africa.

Transnet Bursaries in South Africa

Vodacom Bursaries in South Africa

Vodacom bursaries in South Africa are offered by the namesake of the program, Vodacom.

Vodacom bursaries in South Africa are offered by the namesake of the program, Vodacom. The company operates across Africa but has its largest consumer base in South Africa where most of its bursaries are awarded. As a communications company providing mobile phone service to its customers Vodacom will be looking for students that fall into categories which will assist in its primary business. This bursary at Vodacom represents one of many privately offered bursary programs in South Africa and will be hotly sought after by students looking for financial aid. Ultimately this means that competition for the bursary’s awards is going to be very high, so any student interested in applying for a Vodacom bursary this year or in the coming years will want to represent themselves in the best possible light.

Unlike many bursaries offered in South Africa, students who received a Vodacom bursary award are not always required to work for the company after graduation. However awardees are able to participate in summer work programs which will help build relevant resume applicable material for future employment options and open up the possibility of working with the Vodacom graduate program for those interested in education beyond a bachelor degree.

As with all such programs, the most important thing to get out of the way is whether or not a student is eligible for a Vodacom bursary. First students should understand that this program is restricted only to those interested in particular fields. These fields include engineering or information technology. Specifically Vodacom bursaries are normally awarded to those entering the field of electrical engineering or seeking degrees in computer science, computer engineering, information systems or programs along similar lines.

If a student is interested in those fields, they must next be able to pass the basic eligibility requirements. Students must be South African citizens and be taking or planning to take courses at a South African institution. They must also be able to show a financial need by coming from a family which makes less than R150 000 a year while also having graduated from grade 12. In passing their matriculation exams, students cannot have received anything less than a C in mathematics and science. Finally, all applicants must be under 25 years of age. Any student who may be interested in a Vodacom bursary and meets these requirements should sincerely consider applying for the program.

Vodacom bursary awards vary depending on the nature of the applicant. The final amount given to a student is based on financial need first and then merit with regards to how well they have performed in academics previously. Out of the many applications Vodacom receives every year, only fifty are awarded and since 1999 1,000 awards have been given out. Though a limited number are given out, every bursary from Vodacom is renewable in the following year and students are encouraged to remain enrolled in the program.

The Vodacom bursaries in South Africa, while offered through the Vodacom Foundation, is not directly managed by the group but instead is handled by a company called Career Wise. All application material is sent directly to this group who will then weed out those who are ineligible and contact those are left for initial interviews. Applications for the Vodacom bursary are available online during August until the end of the month, so students should be sure to have all relevant material handed in as soon as they can.

It is always important to keep options open when applying to bursary programs, and while the Vodacom bursary program will be attractive to many students it should not represent the end of their search. With only fifty awards given out every year, students should continue to their search for potential sources of financial aid. A quick search of internet will turn up a number of possible programs available for students entering computer science or electrical engineering, skill sets which are relatively rare in the country. If awarded you are awarded one of the Vodacom bursaries, be sure to take full advantage of the summer work programs and, if planning to get more than a bachelor degree, consider their graduate program as well.

Transnet Bursaries in South Africa

Spoornet Bursaries from Transnet

Spoornet bursaries from South Africa are one such example of a great privately offered South African financial assistance program. Here’s why.

Spoornet bursaries at Transnet a South Africa company are one such example of a great privately offered South African financial assistance program, and students should certainly be considering it in their search for monetary aid. Students in South Africa may not have the readily available public bursaries offered in the United Kingdom and Canada, but they do have an abundance of privately offered bursary programs. While many such offered bursaries in South Africa often come with a limited offering to students in a relatively short number of eligible degree programs, the Spoornet bursary sets itself apart by being widely applicable. This has the benefit of being more readily available to students from a diverse academic background but also suffers from the limitation of increasing the applicant pool. Because of the large number of applicants the Spoornet bursary in SA is likely to attract, interested students are encouraged to not only display a strong academic merit but also be able to show their dedication to their chosen career path. In order to increase a student’s chances in getting bursaries at Spoornet, applicants should consider their applications in great depth to make sure that it displays their best attributes, working diligently on all related submission material and seeing to it that what they provide to the selection committee is the best information available.

Large swaths of degree programs are eligible for the Spoornet bursary from bachelor degrees in communications, engineering, computer science or psychology. Targeted learning includes accounting, economics, industrial engineering, electrical engineering, information technology and many more. On top of the wide coverage of various fields, the Spoornet bursary also covers an immense amount of costs. Tuition in its entirety is covered by the program as well as additional costs for books and living expenses. Trips to and from home are also paid for by the program.

Like many other South African bursaries, every year that a student receives financial aid from the Spoornet bursary scheme requires a year of service for the company providing the financial assistance. The large amount of money which the Spoornet bursary covers makes this a fairly equal exchange in the long run and, unless students have other job obligations to another bursary program, should not deter them from applying to the program. As is suggested above, all students who receive a Spoornet bursary program have the option of renewing it in subsequent years so long as their academic progress merits renewal. While the fields to which the bursary can be applied to are indeed many, Spoornet reserves the right to limit what fields they select as priority based on their commercial needs.

Eligibility for bursaries at Spoornet are fairly straight forward. Students must be South African citizens who also attended and graduated from a school within the country. Matriculation grades must be above a C average and students must show a financial need. On the actual application, students will need to provide their academic scores from grade 11 on top of their matriculation scores. Finally, this bursary is mainly available for students who are entering their first year of schooling. If a student meets these criteria, then they should download the application form online and have it submitted by January 31 of the applicable year. Considering the application carefully, a small section is available for students to list the achievement they have made of which they are most proud. As it is such a short section, this is not a moment for a student to go on and on about what they have done and how they have done it. Rather, this area should be reserved for short snippets – awards a students have received, community programs they have been involved in, leadership roles they have taken on and personal objectives a student has set then overcome are all fair game in this area.

The Spoornet bursary from SA is offered by Transnet Freight Rail, a South African train company. Students should consider this as, once they start working off their bursary obligations, they will be working at this company until their bursary debt is paid off. If a student does not have any interest in working in this field, then the Spoornet Bursaries may not be for them. On the other hand, if a student is interested in working at this company, then this should be all means only add to any encouragement they may already have in filling out the application.

South African Bursaries for South Africa Students

Bursaries for South African students are a patchwork of mostly private programs mixed in with some government bursaries and few mixed private/public.

Different from bursary systems common to Europe and Canada, South African bursaries are nonetheless incredibly useful to students in the region offering great awards for those willing to step up to the plate. Bursaries for South African students are a patchwork of mostly private programs mixed in with some government bursaries and then a few mixed private/public collaborations. At first glance it may appear very chaotic, messy in many respects and perhaps difficult to navigate. However, once you’ve learned how South African bursaries tend to work, the system works very well and offers awards that many European or Canadian bursariessimply cannot compare to.

Though South Africa bursaries lack the elegance of the single form bursary application system common in many western countries, available programs are advertised quite readily and many are listed in bursary information packets available at individual universities. Even those that are not listed in such information packets are generally fairly easy to find if a searching student is willing to put in a little bit of time and effort.

Because the number of bursaries offered by the national government is relatively limited, large and even local companies have filled the fiscal void in a way which not only provides students with financial assistance but further helps to ensure that there is a readily available employment pool of skilled workers available for projects around the country. While it could be argued that such a situation works best for companies and less well for financially needy students, with the employment situation and development issues within South Africa it in many ways benefits the country as a whole.

Though the number of South African bursaries available through the government and local entities are limited, they certainly do exist. A first stop for a South African student, as is the same with a student from most Western nations, is their university’s financial aid department. Colleges in South Africa often offer their own bursary schemes for enrolled students whom have shown promising academic progress in their secondary and post secondary educations. These programs, compared to the full rides often offered by large South African companies, are generally fairly small but are certainly useful to students seeking financial aid.

Picking up a bursary information packet from the financial aid office at a university will give students a wide array of available South Africa bursaries which they may be eligible for. Normally managed by individual institutions, applying to these bursaries is normally as simple as submitting applications to the financial aid department and waiting to hear back regarding award status. Applying to these programs should always be a first step and students should do this as early as possible so that they can better assess the amount of money they still need for college if their award amounts do not cover all costs.

The next step for many students still searching for financial aid would be the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) which offers loans to those who can demonstrate monetary need. These programs often start out as loans which are required to be repaid, but in many cases can be converted into South African bursaries. The benefit of conversion should be fairly plain – if converted to a bursary, NSFAS loans do not have to be repaid. Like local bursaries offered by individual colleges, the NSFAS program can be applied to through the university a student is enrolled in.

One of the greatest differences between South Africa bursaries and those offered more commonly in the West is the prevalence of private programs. These private programs are very often highly competitive and provide an immense amount of money for students often covering not only the entirety of tuition but also covering living arrangement, meals, and travel needs. Differing from the South African bursaries offered by the national government and individual colleges, private bursaries very often focus highly on individual skill sets which are needed by the offering company. Beyond this, students entering a bursary agreement with a private company are very often required to work for them after graduation until the approximate cost of their bursary has been repaid. After that, their services may be terminated or they may find a long-term employment position with the company who paid for their schooling. This program type has a lot of really great benefits, but competitiveness around such private offerings often means that only those students who show exceptional dedication and great academic merit will find their ways into the programs.

Exxaro Bursaries South Africa

Government Bursaries and How they Work

In some countries government bursaries are offered to help students who are in need of financial aid.A Government bursary is common in Canada and South Africa.

In some countries, government bursaries are offered to help students who are in need of financial aid. A Government bursary is very common in Canada, South Africa, and can be found in various forms in the United Kingdom. These student bursaries are normally available to those with an exceptional need due to disabilities, families, or poverty. Normally these sorts of bursaries are handled by local provincial governments, or even at the university level, so finding out about bursaries for your area should start with an inquiry at the local organization which handles applications for monetary aid. Aid is available to citizens of the province or locality, and as a result these government bursaries are not typically available to foreign students. Those students who are looking to travel outside of the country to attend school but will need government bursary aid to assist them in their funding should first sign up at a local institution’s exchange program, otherwise funds will not be available.

Bursaries offered by governments are normally given out with a number of fairly straight forward conditions attached. Some exist for students freshly entering college, designed to give those in need of exceptional financial assistance access to funds. It is not at all uncommon for repayment of these bursaries to hinge on academic achievement, meaning that those who do well in school will not have to worry about paying back any of the amount whereas those who perform poorly may find themselves having to reimburse the awarded amounts.

Other government bursaries, such as the Canada Millennium Bursary Program, offer assistance to students who have already been in school for at least 60% of a single year while also being eligible through financial need. Aspects of the Millennium Bursary Program also include the Millennium Access Bursary and Millenium Award, all government bursary programs designed to help students enter and maintain financial assistance at post secondary institutions. The deadlines for these programs will vary by province but most students are automatically entered for consideration when they apply for financial aid at their university.

Of course not every potential student is a citizen of Canada, and will need to find government bursary information for their own region. Like with scholarships, starting your bursary application process is ideally done early on. Because of the high demand for access to these government bursaries and only a limited amount of money available to disburse, starting early increases your chances of getting access to a program.

Further, the earlier you apply, the earlier you will know what your financial aid status is giving you a much clearer idea of how much money you may still need to find to complete your funding needs. The process of applying for a government bursary can sometimes take months, in the case of the Canada Millennium Bursary up to six months. As soon as you have an idea of where you will be attending school, it is important to start talking to provincial or local government bursary sources immediately or else you may quickly find yourself left behind.

Different government bursaries have access to different amounts of funds. The government bursary is not a guaranteed method of paying for school, but if you meet the appropriate criteria and apply in a timely manner they will more than likely turn out to be useful in your quest for aid. Look around at multiple sources on campus or through local government organizations which handle financial aid issues. Always make sure you have a full assessment of your status – know if you are a dependent according to your nation’s legal standards, know what your family’s income is, make sure you have identification and are prepared to wait a short while to speak with somebody. Fortunately, though the process can sometimes be a little long, many government bursaries allow you to apply for all available programs with a single form. This makes for a great convenience – once you’re done you should not have to worry about applying for any other programs which are covered by your initial application.