Funding priorities
ACCESS AND SUCCESS
providing support for promising students
Student Funding
Insufficient funding presents a major barrier to students enrolling and succeeding in both undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. Without money to fund this lifelong asset, unfulfilled life goals become the reality that many talented young people face.
UCT distinguishes itself with a long tradition of policies and programmes to ensure that talented undergraduate students in need are given an opportunity to enter the university and succeed here. These interventions include financial assistance and a range of psycho-social programmes to ensure that UCT’s graduates are globally competitive, locally relevant and socially responsive individuals, who are fully representative of South Africa’s diverse population.
Being a research-led university means that we must constantly produce graduates with advanced degrees: a formidable force of young specialists who directly contribute to the growth and development of the country. However, due to financial stress, many graduates seek employment as only a few are able to pursue advanced studies. The potential contribution that these innovative minds can bring to renewing social, political and economic systems is therefore lost.
Although UCT and the government commit considerable resources to funding postgraduates, the need is greater than we can currently meet. In addition, it is crucial that we provide assistance to candidates from African countries outside of South Africa, as well as refugee students.
My School
An easy way of contributing to UCT's student financial aid programme is through the MySchool fundraising initiative. Simply apply for a MySchool card and add University of Cape Town as a beneficiary. Whenever you swipe your card at any participating retailer that displays the MySchool logo at the tills, a small percentage of your purchase is then allocated to UCT as your beneficiary. The participating retailer pays the donation on your behalf. You can therefore make a contribution without it costing you a cent.
Your contribution will enable UCT to create additional scholarship support to fund meritorious postgraduate students in areas of strategic importance. The cost of a postgraduate scholarship is approximately R100 000 for a Master’s programme and R150 000 for a Doctoral degree. |