Postgraduate Bursaries

Postgraduate Bursaries

South Africa aims to help graduate students by providing financial support to worthy students based on their financial needs or academic performance.

Financial needs are determined using i-based means surveys. A sort of. Household income. These scholarships are for students who have performed well in the previous undergraduate/graduate period and have a very low family income (R350,000 and below). Please note that people who have a reasonable income but have financial problems due to their lifestyle will not be eligible.

Based on at least 65% of academic results, various types of scholarships can be provided. The university is an agent for independent National Research Foundation (NRF) scholarships and scholarships related to grantees. Graduate students can apply for a limited number of small private scholarships and trust endowments.

The office also cooperates with the wider support structure of graduate institutions, usually in the area of psychosocial support.

International students should not be dependent on fundraising at R.S.A. But before coming to any university in South Africa, you should seek funding in your home country.

Financing process

Unfortunately, South African universities cannot guarantee that any student will have enough financial aid to cover all study and living expenses.

Recommends that students carefully plan their finances before applying for scholarships and check if they meet the basic requirements.

For prospective graduate students, it is important to contact the department they intend to attend, not only to seek financial aid, but more importantly, to discuss the nature of the graduate program and lay the foundation for a good relationship of job. Without the recommendation of the department, scholarships cannot be awarded to students.

International students should not rely on obtaining funds in the R.S.A. but should seek funding in their country of origin before coming to Stellenbosch University.

Students’ Responsibility

Payment of Academic Fees

Payment of registration and tuition fees remains the responsibility of the student. The University makes provision for bursaries for postgraduate study to encourage students to proceed with studies on this level. The allocation of bursaries is based on the student’s academic record and, where applicable, on the basis of the student’s financial situation.

Payment of bursaries is made only after the student has registered. Often, bursaries are not paid out until the end of the first semester or even as late as the second semester. To speed up the process, applicants should complete documents promptly, and ask their supervisors to do likewise. It is essential, though, for bursary holders to make provision for their own living expenses during the intervening period. SU cannot be held responsible for a student’s keep while he / she has to wait for bursary payments. When registration only takes place at the beginning of the second semester, only half of the original amount allocated will be paid.

Application for bursaries

Students who register at Stellenbosch University for the first time and who apply for a bursary must submit a detailed record of their studies. If the study record does not provide percentages, the equivalent percentages of symbols, etc. must be supplied. Bursaries are mostly granted according to a priority list based on academic merit, and marks cannot be satisfactorily compared unless stated as percentages. Where percentages are not furnished, the application will not be accepted for consideration.

Contracts

When a student accepts a bursary, the bursary institution will require him / her to enter into a contract. This involves accurate completion of forms and / or other documents and strict adherence to contractual conditions. As a matter of general principle, no person should enter into a contract without fully understanding its conditions. The same principle holds good for students entering into a contract with a bursary institution. Should you apply for financial aid, you will need to (i) read the application form attentively and (ii) to study all the printed guidelines or other printed information on the fund to which you apply for assistance. Such documents usually deal with most of the questions likely to occur to students entering into bursary contracts.

It is recommended that a student who applies for a bursary opens a file for all documents relevant to the bursary, including a copy of the application form. The exact conditions of a contract might be forgotten in time. If this results in failure to meet the obligations of a contract, legal proceedings may be instituted against the defaulting student. A filing system that allows ready access to relevant information can help to avoid such a situation.

Follow-up after application

If the applicant has not received acknowledgement of receipt of an application form within ten working days after the bursary’s internal closing date, the onus to inquire whether the Office for Postgraduate Student Funding had received the application form, rests on him/her.

Renewal

Where a particular bursary allows for a renewal, such a renewal application should be submitted, recommended by the supervisor/promoter, by the announced closing date. Renewal applications normally require a progress report by the supervisor/promoter.

Updating details

As students do not necessarily reside at the same place for the duration of their studies, their addresses are subject to frequent change. This can lead to the loss of important correspondence. The computer system of the Postgraduate Student Funding Office is linked to the Student Records database and addresses are automatically obtained from there. Please ensure that any change of address is recorded at Student Records otherwise important mail regarding bursaries may be lost. This is extremely important with regard to the possible conversion of bursaries into loans.

Eligibility Criteria For Postgraduate Bursaries

In awarding bursaries, the University uses a range of criteria specific to each bursary being applied for.

Candidates already in possession of a qualification on the same level or higher than the one support is being sought for, are not eligible to apply for bursaries.

Virtually no bursaries are available to foreign students. Foreign students should therefore not rely on obtaining funds in the R.S.A. but should seek funding in their country of origin before coming to Stellenbosch University.

Incomplete applications submitted without supporting documents will be disqualified and not considered.

Late applications will be processed according to the policy approved by the University.

Students should note that the University places a limitation on the total bursary amounts a students can hold. This is to ensure that funds are spread amongst students’ corps and not limited to a few students. The total amount of bursary funds (depending on bursary conditions) that postgraduate students can hold are:

Honours or Postgraduate Diplomas R 130,000.00

Master’s R 210,000.00

PhD R 275,000.00

Application and Receipt For Postgraduate Bursaries

STEP 1: Preparation

Please ensure that you have read through “Students Responsibility”. This will give you a detailed look at what your responsibilities are concerning bursary applications.

STEP 2: Applying for a bursary

It is important to be aware of the fact that different bursaries have different criteria, conditions and application deadlines. Be sure that you know which bursaries you qualify for and what the conditions are.

Bursary applications, and all relevant documents, have to be formally approved by the supervisor concerned. Read application forms and instructions carefully. Complete them as far as you are required to and be sure to let your supervisor complete the appropriate sections before returning the application forms and related documents to the Postgraduate Student Funding Office, RW Wilcocks building 3015.

STEP 3: Notification of application outcome

Please note that application for funding is subject to consideration by relevant selection panels, and application for a bursary does therefore not guarantee that you will be awarded a bursary. Where a bursary is awarded, the money is transferred into the student’s SU account. This account is settled first. Should the account be settled in full, the relevant amount is transferred electronically into the bank account for which the Division of Student Fees receives relevant details in advance. Bursars are therefore responsible for ensuring that the Division for Student Fees has the correct banking details. Payment of bursary money can, at the earliest, only be done towards mid-March, depending on whether a signed Declaration has been submitted to the Office for Postgraduate Student Funding. Enquiries regarding payment, etc. should be addressed to the Student Fees Section.

STEP 4: Follow-up, renewal and appeal

If the applicant has not received acknowledgement of receipt of an application form within ten working days after the internal closing date, the onus to inquire whether the Office for Postgraduate Student Funding had received the application form, rests on him/her.

Should an applicant wish to appeal against the results of an application, a letter of appeal must be submitted to the Office for Postgraduate Bursaries, explaining all the details of the appeal.

Available Bursaries

Students are advised to plan their finances carefully and to verify whether or not they meet the basic requirements, such as academic merit, before applying for a bursary.

Each bursary might have a different set of criteria, and it is therefore important for students to carefully read through all bursary conditions and criteria.

The University can unfortunately not guarantee any student sufficient financial assistance to cover all study and living expenses.

Students are advised to plan their finances carefully and to check whether or not they meet the basic requirements, such as academic merit, before applying for a bursary.

International students should not rely on obtaining funds in the R.S.A. but should seek funding in their country of origin before coming to Stellenbosch University.

Please note: The Postgraduate Merit bursary scheme in its current format regarding awarding a 75% achievement in the previous qualification is abolished. Renewals will be honoured and phased out in 2023.

postgraduate bursaries

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Postgraduate Bursaries

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