Finances can cause a lot of strain and stress for families and greatly affect the quality of education. Let us help you figure this part of your higher education studies out.
People are often left with no choice but to not study when they can’t finance it. In the past, people gave up opportunities due to financial struggles but now the aim is to promote youth and education. There are now multiple options available for students looking to finance their studies.
North West University has made finding funding easier for their students. Along with that, there are also many options outside of what the University offers.
Academic Merit Bursary: A fulltime first-year, second-year or third-year student who meets the requirements, will receive the bursary automatically. Others need to complete an application form which can be found here. A qualifying student receives 50% of the standard allocation.
Family Discount: This bursary is awarded to applicants that will be the second or third, etc. child of the same family studying at the NWU. Second student gets 15% off tuition fees. Third student gets 20% off tuition fees. Fourth student gets 25% off tuition fees and so forth.
Leadership Bursary: Only applicable for headboy/headgirl of school in Grade 12. This is a once-off bursary for first-year students and is awarded in the first year.
Support Bursary: This bursary is there for students who are orphans, in foster care or have a physical disability. The application form can be found here.
Arts and Culture Bursary: This is aimed at students who participated in the arts and culture at their school. Arts and culture bursaries apply for one year only. All holders of arts and culture bursaries are expected to involve themselves as much as possible in the arts and culture activities of the University. The application form can be found here.
Sports Bursaries: A number of special bursaries are available for those who have excelled at sport.
NWU Honours/Masters/Doctoral Bursary: This bursary is automatically calculated and awarded each year to qualifying NWU students, students from other universities need to apply. This bursary is available only for students that register for a FULL-TIME prescribed degree. To qualify applicants must have achieved a minimum average of 70% in the final year modules/subjects of the preceding, completed degree.
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 our article 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.
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 helped students fund their studies. Read our article on Feenix here.
Banks: Many South African banks offer loans for students looking to fund their studies.
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.