About University of Cape Town Bursaries
Details of University of Cape Town Bursaries
UCT Bursaries – DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
STUDENT FINANCIAL AID (SFA)
Financial Aid – UCT Bursaries
DirectAxis Bursary Application
Ernst & Ethel Eriksen Trust Bursaries
Please read this leaflet carefully and contact the Student Financial Aid Office if you are uncertain about any aspect of financial aid funding as outlined below.
Eligibility Criteria for Financial Aid – UCT Bursaries
Applications for financial aid at UCT, includes application for National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding. In partnership with NSFAS, UCT financial aid provides a relatively comprehensive financial aid package.
All applications are checked against the following eligibility criteria:
∙South African citizenship or permanent residency
∙First undergraduate qualification
∙Financial eligibility
∙Students must have passed 50% of all courses registered for in the prior year of study at a tertiary institution
∙Applicant must not be under administrative order
Applications that pass the eligibility criteria are funded as outlined below:
It is important that you read the following information carefully to understand the financial aid offered to you.
Expected Family Contribution – UCT Bursaries
The financial aid offer is based on your approved Cost of Attendance (COA) below. You are required to only pay your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) towards your COA. Students do not need to pay more than their EFC unless they incur costs not covered by financial aid. The EFC must be paid before the end of June. Students on financial aid are not required to pay the initial fee payments before registration. No refunds will be issued for payments made in excess of the EFC, irrespective of when your financial aid is approved.
UCT Financial Aid Package – UCT Bursaries
Your financial aid package will be based on a National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) loan and UCT administered bursary.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)
The Government has made funding available through the National Student Financial Aid
Scheme to assist students to study at tertiary institutions. Through this scheme, students are offered a study loan, which is interest free while studying and has a bursary conversion incentive based on your pass ratio. Students are required to have a
South African Identity document to take up the loan offer. Further information on NSFAS is available on their website at www.NSFAS.org.za
To accept the NSFAS loan offer you must:
∙Be in receipt of a valid SA ID
∙Be of sound mind
∙Be in good academic standing
oRenewal of NSFAS funding will be subject to academic performance
UCT Administered Bursaries – UCT Bursaries
The Bursaries are non-repayable. The Bursary covers the shortfall between your COA, your EFC and your NSFAS offer.
Approved Cost of Study Items & Allowances
The items listed below are different types of costs your financial aid package allows. Some students will have course fees, catering residence costs, incidental allowance and books. Another student staying at home will have course fees, books, live-at home allowance and alive-at home transport allowance. Each student’s financial aid package is different because their costs will differ.
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Applicable |
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Monthly |
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Item |
Approved cost per annum |
Allowances |
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from Feb to |
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Nov |
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Actual normal academic year course fees. You must register for |
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all courses at the start of the year. |
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Course Fees |
Courses added in the 2nd semester will not be funded. |
n/a |
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Funding for Winter & Summer Term Courses must be applied for |
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separately, terms and conditions apply. |
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Catering |
Actual residence costs and R1 000 for incidentals, eg toiletries, |
R100 |
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Residence |
airtime |
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Self-Catering |
Actual residence costs and R16 000 for food and incidentals |
R1 600 |
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Residence |
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Private |
R37 000 for rent and transport, and R16 000 for food/incidentals. |
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A lease agreement must be submitted to SFA at registration |
R5 300 |
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Accommodation |
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time. No lease, no allowance. |
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R3 300 per annum for books, stationary and photocopies. |
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Books |
If your EFC is greater than R8 000 the book allowance will not |
Once-off |
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be paid to you. Instead the book allowance will reduce your |
payment |
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EFC, and your family must provide your books. |
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R7 000 living allowance and R7 300 transport allowance. |
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The living allowance is used to reduce your EFC. If your EFC is |
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Live at Home |
less than R7 000, you do not need to pay anything towards your |
R730 |
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study costs. But, if you need this allowance please consult the |
Transport only |
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Applications Assessment Coordinator at Student Financial Aid. |
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Spectacles |
Once-off assistance for spectacles from an approved service |
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provider. Available on request at Student Financial Aid |
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Note: Senior Health Sciences students will receive 11 months allowances due to their longer academic term.
Allowances will be paid directly to your bank account. It is therefore important that you capture your bank details in PeopleSoft Student System during registration.
Accommodation – UCT Bursaries
Cape Town Students: If your home address is in the greater Cape Town area and you wish to stay in UCT residence or private accommodation you must submit a written motivation to the Student Financial Aid office to have these costs covered. This should be submitted before signing into residence or signing a lease agreement. The office will confirm the outcome in writing. You will be responsible for any cost incurred if your request is unsuccessful. It is therefore important that you submit your request before registration and before accepting any accommodation offer.
Out of Town Students: If you stay in private accommodation you must submit details of your private accommodation before registration. The form is available on the financial aid website.
You are not allowed to change your accommodation type without prior approval, as accommodation changes have cost implications. Should you wish to change your accommodation type you must submit a written motivation to Student Financial Aid for approval.
GAP students and Residence Allowances: GAP students who apply for the loan for residence or private accommodation are not eligible for any allowance until:
∙The loan agreement has been signed and submitted to NSFAS
∙NSFAS makes payment of the loan to UCT
∙Your fee account is in a credit balance
All costs of private accommodation will be the responsibility of the student. A copy of the lease agreement must be submitted to the Student Funding Office when the student has registered.
General Financial Aid and Study Choice Rules & Policies – UCT Bursaries
1.You will only be considered for funding within the minimum duration (n) of the undergraduate programme plus 2 years of study, irrespective of who funded your studies.
∙Only the minimum duration of the PGCE and PG Dip in Music Performance will be funded.
2.You may not change your programme of study without written approval from SFA.
∙If you are approved for a change of programme, we use the initial programme for the n+2 funding formula.
3.If you cancel registration before writing the mid-year exam, all financial aid will be withdrawn. If you cancel after the 2nd semester, your funding will be adjusted accordingly.
4.You are required to contribute your EFC, other funding (external or scholarships) will not reduce or cover EFC.
∙External awards/scholarships will firstly reduce UCT Bursary funding, thereafter NSFAS funding.
5.If you receive full cost external funding you will not be eligible for financial aid and the allocated financial aid will be withdrawn.
6.Financial aid funding will be adjusted for any payments made direct to you by external sponsors. No financial aid student is permitted to be funded more than the approved financial aid Cost of Attendance.
7.You are required to inform Student Financial Aid of other funding received by submitting the letter of funding from the sponsor. Failure to report other sponsorship will result in disciplinary action being taken with a charge of fraud.
Renewal of Financial Aid will be guided by the following additional policy criteria;
Renewal of Financial Aid will be guided by the following additional policy criteria;
1.You must have met academic eligibility which is set at a minimum pass of 50% of registered courses including any winter and/or summer term courses in the academic year
2.You must still be doing the same course
3.You must not have exceeded your time in terms of the N+2 formula
4.Academic exclusion automatically cancels eligibility for renewal.
If you are unclear on any aspect of financial aid funding, call, visit, or email us.
Student Financial Aid
Level 3, Kramer Law Building
Middle Campus
Tel: 021 650 5094
Email: [email protected]