Sol Plaatje University (SPU) has positioned itself as a niche university, by offering a number of academic programmes.
These diverse programmes highlight the current focus areas of teacher education, ICT and data science, heritage studies, paleo-sciences, and creative writing in African languages to the fore.
SPU launched the Lesedi La Afrika Fund to raise R100 million for future sustainability, scholarships, infrastructure, social impact projects, and staff wellness programmes.
Besides this campaign, the university has confirmed that it does not offer institutional bursaries or loans, as students will need to apply directly to Funders.
SPU students may explore the following funding options:
- Funza Lushaka Bursary
- The National Student Financial Aid Scheme
- Sector Education and Training Authorities various bursaries
- Northern Cape Premier’s Education Trust Fund
- FUNDI
- Feenix Crowdfunding Platform
The university does play its role in ensuring that the administration process is seamless once the student has been awarded a bursary.
However, application submissions are assessed and evaluated by Funders, using their own criteria and the information provided by the student applying for funding.
However, applying for funding does not guarantee funding to students and Funders are the ones that will communicate with their successful bursary recipients.
Part of the university’s role is to encourage prospective and existing students to apply for as many funding opportunities as possible. Should the student not receive a bursary, they may need to look into the different student loans that banks offer.
What Is The Difference Between A Bursary And Scholarship?
A bursary and scholarship are both forms of financial assistance for students, but they differ in a few ways.
A bursary is usually awarded based on financial need, academic merit, or both, and covers all or part of the recipient's tuition fees, accommodation, and study materials.
In contrast, a scholarship is typically awarded based on academic or sporting achievement and covers tuition fees only.
Scholarships may also provide additional benefits like mentorship or research opportunities. Both bursaries and scholarships are highly competitive, and recipients are usually required to maintain a certain level of academic performance.
