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Before you make your way over from Namibia to study in the rainbow nation, South Africa, you need to consider funding opportunities to pay the bills.
One of the ways to reduce costs when planning to come study in SA is by taking full advantage of any funding opportunities that may be available to you. To make your lives easier and to help you out a little bit further, we’ve gone ahead and found a few ways you can fund your studies in SA as a Namibian. There are many funding opportunities available yet finding these opportunities tends to be extremely taxing and difficult. #GoogleSearchOnFire
Be aware that funding in South Africa generally prioritises local students. Chances of finding funding might be slimmer for non-SA students but you’re still in with a chance.
Checklist for Finding Funding:
- Apply early, well before the closing date.
- Apply only for those bursaries you qualify for.
- Apply for as many bursaries as possible (keep the applications rolling yo).
- Only accept one bursary unless the organisation says you may apply for others.
- Be prepared for disappointment – you may not be successful with your funding applications.
- Have a Plan B in case you don’t get a bursary.
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Check for funding opportunities back home, as you may be able to transfer them to your studies in SA.
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Financial Assistance at Universities in SA
One of the ways to find funding is through the institution you are applying to. Most institutions in SA do have funding opportunities available to international students. Take your time to look at the types of available funding, as requirements vary depending on the institution, as well as the type of funding (e.g. refugee scholarships, international students scholarships, postgraduate scholarships, etc.).
Below are options at the top institutions in SA:
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UCT offers postgraduate funding opportunities for Refugee and International Students. Go to the Postgraduate Degree Funding page on their website for the details.
Applications close on 31 July of the preceding year of study.
Contact the UCT Postgraduate Funding Office:
Phone: +27 (0)21 650 3622
Email: pgfunding@uct.ac.za
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”University of Pretoria” tab_id=”1496648876668-569cabf5-ef17″][vc_column_text]
UP offers undergraduate and postgraduate funding. International Students have the same application process as local students.
For information on undergraduate funding, follow this link.
For information on the different types of Postgraduate funding, and to see for which one(s) you qualify, click here.
The closing dates for postgraduate funding applications depend on the specific type of funding/scholarship.
Contact the UP Client Service Centre:
Phone: +27 (0)12 420 3111
Email: csc@up.ac.za
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”University of Witwatersrand” tab_id=”1496648971741-4782ccdd-d78b”][vc_column_text]
Wits offers postgraduate funding opportunities for international students. Check it out here.
Click here to see the Wits Postgraduate Funding Booklet and browse the various financial awards to see if you qualify. You can view the different PDF forms here.
The closing dates for postgraduate funding applications depend on the specific type of funding/scholarship.
Contact the Wits Postgraduate Bursaries and Scholarships office:
Phone: + 27 (0)11 717 1078 / 1310
Email: vinesha.singh@wits.ac.za OR andrea.ogle@wits.ac.za
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In the case of UWC, their funding opportunities are limited to SA students only. Try to have a look at bursary and funding opportunities in your home country.
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US offers postgradaute and international student funding opportunities, but they are largely merit-based. You need to contact the Postgraduate and International office to find out which type of funding you qualify for. Follow this link to see the contact information for the specific funding departments.
Contact Management for Postgraduate and International Student Funding:
Phone: +27 (0)21 808 2957
Email: cswartz@sun.ac.za (Ms Chantal Swartz)
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”University of KwaZulu-Natal” tab_id=”1496649115154-c7a79af3-a7eb”][vc_column_text]
UKZN offers postgraduate funding opportunities for international students. The process and criteria are the same as for local students. Go to the Scholarships page and scroll down to the section on postgrad scholarships.
Contact UKZN General Contacts:
Phone: +27 31 260 8596
Email: enquiries@ukzn.ac.za
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Rhodes University” tab_id=”1496649166171-60452610-262a”][vc_column_text]
The majority of funding opportunities at Rhodes are reserved for SA students, as per donor criteria. In general, the Postgraduate Funding office recommends international students to apply for funding in their home country and have a successful funding opportunity transferred to Rhodes.
It might be worthwhile to have a look at RU’s Postgraduate Funding Opportunities website that lists links to funding from internal and external donors – look for a scholarship that is not limited to SA students.
Where the closing date says ‘closed,’ it means that the specific funding is still advertised for the coming year
FYI: RU’s Financial Aid Administrator advises that while the applications are still closed, you should try to prepare all the required documents until the funding opportunity is opened.
Contact the RU Postgraduate Funding office:
Phone: +27 (0)46 603 87 55
Email: pgfunding@ru.ac.za
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CPUT has various scholarships and funding opportunities on offer. The following link will take you to Financial Aid: Advice and Procedures online PDF.
If you think you qualify for one or more of the listed scholarships, contact the university by writing a short letter that asks for the application forms for those specific scholarship or bursaries.
Contact the CPUT Office of International Affairs:
Cape Town Campus
Phone: +27 21 460 3955 / 8390 / 3984
Email: mokoenam@cput.ac.za
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Scholarships & Bursaries
We urge you to apply for a bursary or scholarship in your home country and then ask to have it transferred to the academic institution in South Africa. Different Embassy’s in Namibia have access to scholarship opportunities. They always differ each year.
Namibian banks (especially FNB Namibia and Bank Windhoek), Engineering firms (NamWater and NamPower) and Accounting firms also often supply bursaries to study in SA. Old Mutual Namibia has a scholarship fund that also supports SA studies for Namibian students for many study fields.
EduFunding is a database of bursaries, scholarships and other funding opportunities designed to give you seamless access to tertiary funding. As a student you can apply online to selected opportunities.
If you find funding opportunities available to you, try apply to as many as possible 🙂 The more you apply to, the better your chances are of receiving funding.
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NSFAF Funding
If you are looking to study in SA, NSFAF could be a potential option for you to take into consideration. The NSFAF funds any Namibian student for tuition ONLY if they make the necessary points. Have a look at the relevant eligibility criteria here. However, because NSFAF only fund tuition fees, learners still sit with accommodation and living fees. Make sure you are aware of the entire process before applying.
Applying to study in SA is the easy part, but getting a study visa and finding funding may be a bit of a lengthier process. Don’t be discouraged if you feel like the process is overwhelming. Always check yourself before you wreck yourself. Even though you’ve read this piece and you have a better understanding of the funding options available to you, I would still suggest seeking guidance from representatives at the institution you’re applying to. Sometimes there might be a funding opportunity that has sprung up with requirements you meet – the perfect opportunity for you to grab 🙂
Take the advice, go out there and grab those opportunities by the hand.
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FundiConnect 2Cents
Just remember, in life, we are shaped by our experiences and it’s up to us to decide how we handle those experiences. Be persistent. Go out there and work through the admin. If studying is one of your dreams, don’t let money stop you. Apply to as many funding opportunities as you can and don’t give up. You’ve got this and we believe in you. We’ll be by your side every step of the way.
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