The Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education (SITFE) was founded as a private sector initiative in the year 1965, and is currently one of South Africa’s oldest Trust Funds. The SITFE’s main aim is to promote and support high-quality, sustainable education within the sugarcane-growing areas of South Africa.
Since its inception, the organization has provided support for a range of educational programmes and projects, from bursaries; to arts and culture; teacher development, and infrastructure development. Bursaries have been allocated to more than 10 000 learners, as well as funding for school building projects, tertiary institution financial support for working alongside specialist educational organizations.
ABOUT THE SITFE BURSARY PROGRAMME – FIELDS COVERED
The Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education (SITFE) is inviting students from KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga to apply for bursary funding, for the 2024 academic year.
Bursaries are available for studies within the fields of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, at any public University, University of Technology, or Agricultural College (Owen Sitole College of Agriculture or Cedara College of Agriculture) in South Africa.
Bursaries are also available for children of sugarcane farm workers, for ANY field of study, at a University, University of Technology or Agricultural College.
MORE ABOUT THE SITFE BURSARY PROGRAMME – SELECTION
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted no later than 17 January 2024 and shortlisted candidates will be required to attend an interview in the last week of January 2024.
Shortlisted candidates will be initially selected based on Matric results or most recent tertiary results, however, final selection will be based on applicants’ overall interview score.
Successful candidates will be contacted no later than 28 February 2024 – if you do not receive any feedback by this date, please consider your application unsuccessful.
SITFE reserves the right to cancel the bursary award if candidates receive other full bursary funding or loans.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SITFE BURSARY
Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):
- You must reside within KwaZulu-Natal or Mpumalanga province (known as the “sugarcane growing provinces”)
- You must fall into 1 of these categories:
- You must have registered or applied to study towards an Agriculture, Engineering or Science qualification, at a public University, University of Technology or Agricultural College (Owen Sitole College of Agriculture or Cedara College of Agriculture) in South Africa
- OR
- You must be a child of a sugarcane farm worker, who has registered or applied to study in ANY field of study, at a University, University of Technology or Agricultural College
- You must be from the “Missing Middle” group (i.e. you must have a total combined family income of between R350 000 and R600 000 per annum)
- Your family income must be from sugarcane growing areas, where mills and sugar industry administrative infrastructure are situated
- Preference will be given to students in their 1st year of study
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE SITFE BURSARY
Download and complete the SITFE Bursary Application Form 2024 (.pdf)
Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):
- ID document (certified copy)
- Matric final trial results and statement of results, if not studying yet (certified copy)
- Tertiary final exam results, if currently studying (certified copy)
- Proof of connection to the sugar industry connection, if applicable (certified copy)
- Proof of parents or guardians household income (payslips if employed, pension receipts if on pension, affidavit if unemployed) (certified copy)
- Death certificate if a parent is deceased (certified copy)
- Proof of application or registration at an University, University of Technology or Agricultural College for 2024
Applications must be submitted in one of the following ways:
1) Email: [email protected]
(Insert the words “SITFE Bursary Application 2024” in the email subject line).
2) Post:
Agricultural College bursaries:
Hirst Simpson Agricultural Bursaries
(Cedara College) Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education
c/o South African Sugar Association
PO Box 700
Mount Edgecombe
4300
OR
Owen Sithole Agricultural Bursaries
Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education
c/o South African Sugar Association
PO Box 700
Mount Edgecombe
4300
University of Technology bursaries:
University of Technology Bursaries
Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education c/o South African Sugar Association
P O Box 700
Mount Edgecombe
4300
University bursaries:
University Merit/Non-Merit Bursaries
Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education
c/o South African Sugar Association
P O Box 700
Mount Edgecombe
4300
CLOSING DATE FOR THE SITFE BURSARY
17 January.
(Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted – please apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)
CONTACT THE BURSARY PROVIDER
For any queries related to this bursary programme, please contact the Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education (SITFE) directly:
Tel: 031 508 7034
Email: [email protected]