UCT has provided students with many funding options so don't let financial difficulties stop you from getting an education as there are many internal and external funding options available to you.
UCT Administered Bursaries: GAP funded students will receive a non-repayable course fee bursary ranging from 20% to 40%, based on the gross family income.A first year BCom student could get as much as R25 000 as a course fee bursary.
UCT Loan Offer: GAP funded students will qualify for either a R46 700 or a R13 000 UCT loan offer. The loan offer is based on whether you are a local student or from out of town, with local students being offered a R13 000 loan, and out of town students a R46 700 loan. Note this loan is underwritten by UCT.
Sibling Rebate Bursary: An undergraduate full-time student who is a South African citizen or has South African permanent residence, who has siblings at UCT also studying towards a full-time undergraduate degree, whose total family income is below R750,000 pa and where the student or siblings are not in receipt of financial assistance, sponsorship or the UCT Staff Tuition rate will, on successful application to the Manager, Student Financial Aid Office, receive a bursary equivalent to 20% of their tuition fees. Application Closing Date is 15 April in the year of study.
Faculty Entrance Scholarships: Awarded to applicants on the basis of NSC achievement in open and redress pools. For Faculty Entrance Scholarships, redress is determined by an applicant’s disadvantage factor.
Faculty Scholarships: Awarded to returning students on the basis of academic achievement in open and redress pools. For Faculty Scholarships, redress is determined by self-declared racial identity. (No disadvantage factor is available for 2020 returning students.)
Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships: If you are among the top ten Mathematics Olympiad, English and Computer Science Olympiad winners, attend a WCED school in matric, and in the NSC examination achieves among the top 10 applicants in this category applying for admission to UCT, attends a school outside of the Western Cape, writes the NSC administered by the Department of Basic Education, and is among the top 15 applicants in this category applying for admission to UCT or attends an Independent Examination Board (IEB) school and writes the NSC and are among the top 5 UCT applicants in this category.
Achievement Scholarships: These are awards based on developing partnerships with particular school groups or schools in a geographical area. Applicants from these partner schools will be considered for these scholarships should they meet the criteria. No application is required.
Sports Scholarships: If you have represented your country in any sport at a national schools or age-group level and want to apply for the Sports Scholarship, you should contact Sport and Recreation. The closing date for submission of applications is 30 September for study in the following year.
DHET Bursary Scheme: This is a financial aid programme that provides fully-subsidised funding for poor and working class students at public universities. Applicants must have a combined gross family income of up to R350,000 per annum.
ISFAP Funding: The Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP) is government initiative to provide financial assistance to very poor, poor and “missing middle" students. Read our article on ISFAP here.
ISFAP will only fund the following qualifications:
- Bachelor of Business Science in Actuarial Science
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics
- Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Electrical Engineering
- Medicine (MBChB)
- Occupational Therapy
Department of Labour Bursaries: Students with disabilities qualify for (apart from any other bursaries) for bursaries from the Department of Labour and are required to apply directly at the Department for these bursaries.
Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme: Bursaries are available to enable eligible students to complete a teaching qualification in an area of national priority. Read more on the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme here.
NSFAS: NSFAS offers fully subsidized free higher education and training for poor and working class South Africans where there is up to R350,000 household income per year. This bursary includes tuition fees, learning materials allowances, transport allowances and living allowances. More information can be found here.
Fundi: Fundi offers students loans to fund their studies. Visit their website here for more information.
Feenix: This is a student programme that uses the process of fundraising in order to help students fund their studies. Read our article on Feenix here.
Banks: Many South African banks offer loans for students looking to fund their studies. Read our article to find out which banks offer student loans.
UCT has a Bursaries Noticeboard where bursaries are recommended to students. Click here to access it.
For further financial assistance, go visit the Financial Aid office at your campus.
For funding separate from your university and their Financial Aid office, you can visit the Bursaries Portal to see which bursaries are available to you as a student.
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