A considerable number of students fund their studies through a combination of scholarships, bursaries (either administered by the University or by organisations outside the University), loans, help from parents, sponsorship by companies, and through part-time and vacation work.

As of 1 August 2016, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) opened its student-centered application model. First-time applications for financial aid, as well as funding renewal for those students who are already recipients of NSFAS funding, will be handled centrally via NSFAS. The NSFAS applications cycle is normally opens in October. Please check the NSFAS website for the application cycle opening and closing dates.

UCT will inform all applicants (that apply for a NSFAS funded programme) by email when the NSFAS application cycle opens.

Each year, UCT allocates over R8 million as entrance scholarships to school-leavers who are coming to study at the University for the first time. South African citizens and permanent residents are eligible for these awards. The awards range from R20 000 to R100 000. No application for a UCT entrance scholarship is necessary. Entrance scholarships are for the first year after which students are eligible for consideration for a faculty scholarship.

It is funding for siblings who are studying undergraduate programmes at UCT and are not eligible for NSFAS or UCT GAP funding. Application forms are available after registration on the undergraduate financial aid web pages. The following requirements must be met:

• The siblings must be South African citizens or have South African permanent residency
• The sibling of an undergraduate student at UCT must simultaneously be studying towards a full-time undergraduate degree
• The total gross family income must be between R600 000 and R750 000 pa
• The siblings must not be in receipt of financial assistance, sponsorship or the UCT Staff Tuition rate

Successful applicants will receive a bursary equivalent to 20% of their tuition fees for the second sibling only.

The obvious benefit of earning money, taking on part-time work while you study can significantly boost your employability after graduation. To get more information check UCT Careers Service.

View the online bursary noticeboard.

Other sponsor information is available in the Undergraduate Bursaries and Loans Handbook 13 on the Handbooks page.

Yes, all students require a laptop to undertake their studies and should have one from Day 1 of Orientation.

UCT runs a Student Laptop Programme that provides students that do not have a laptop with one for a fee that will be charged to your fee account. The laptop programme is open to all first-time UCT students.

Should you require a laptop, you can opt into the UCT Student Laptop Programme when you complete your registration declaration. All information regarding the terms and conditions of the Laptop Programme will be available.

You will need to ask your sponsor if they will provide a laptop for your studies or if they will pay for the laptop if it is charged to your fee account. It is important that your sponsor understands that you will need a laptop from Day 1 when Orientation starts.

You can opt into the UCT Laptop Programme and use the book/learning materials allowance that your sponsor pays to cover the laptop charged to your fee account

There is no additional allowance from NSFAS for a laptop. Student that opt into the UCT Student Laptop Programme will need to pay from their NSFAS Book Allowance the laptop charge on their fee account. For NSFAS students the cost of the laptop will be paid for over 2 years of study by charging your fee account.

No late applications to NSFAS are allowed, unless NSFAS makes an announcement in this regard. It is therefore important that you apply when the application cycle opens, even though you are still waiting for the outcome of your application for admission to study.

After you have applied for NSFAS funding, log into the MyNSFAS portal and track  the status of your application for financial assistance.

Normally NSFAS finalises funding decisions at the same time the NSC results are released. Check the NSFAS website and their social media accounts for updates.

NSFAS normally opens an appeals window on their website. Submit an appeal with all the supporting financial documents to prove that your gross family income is less than R350 000pa. Note you must submit the appeal, the University cannot process this appeal for you. It is therefore important that you keep checking the NSFAS portal for updates.

The NSFAS funding makes provision for the cost of tuition, a set book allowance, a home allowance for those living at home and an accommodation allowance of R45 000 for students living in residence or private accommodation, and a meal allowance for those in self-catering residence or private accommodation.

University residence is the first choice of accommodation for NSFAS funded students. Students that wish to stay in private accommodation must ensure that the accommodation is accredited by UCT or NSFAS.

Private accommodation that is not accreditted will not be paid for.

Students are encouraged to apply for other sponsor to help cover the shortfall in NSFAS funding for accommodation. 

No, students that are from out of Cape Town are eligible for accommodation. The University tries to accommodate NSFAS students in residence, so its important that you indicate in your admissions application that you require student residence accommodation.

Local students that live within reasonable distance to the University do not automatically qualify for accommodation. Students from informal settlements can apply for University residence accommodation, all other local students must submit a motivation to Student Financial Aid for permission.

Yes, but only if the accommodation has been accredited by the university or NSFAS. Information on accredited accommodation is available on the DSA website. Students that sign a lease for accommodation that is not accredited will not receive a rental allowance.

Students must know their NSFAS funding status, must be registered, and submitted their motivation and lease to student financial aid for approval before any allowance can be paid. We recommend that application is made for university residence accommodation, in case of any delays in funding confirmation.

GAP funding is considered for those applicants that did not meet the NSFAS financial eligibility criteria of gross family income under R350 000. UCT provides financial assistance to eligible students in the form of a tuition bursary of between 20% to 40% and a loan offer. View further information about GAP funding on the financial aid website.

GAP funding is considered for those applicants that did not meet the NSFAS eligibility criteria but still need some financial assistance towards their study costs.

Once registered students can request a GAP funding application by email at UCTGAPApplication@uct.ac.za . View further information about GAP funding.

NSFAS will only fund students that meet eligibility criteria for the number of years of the programme (N) plus one additional year (N+1). Note that all years registered in higher education are counted in the N, not just the years for which you receive NSFAS funding.

That depends on how many years you studied before transferring to UCT. NSFAS counts all years of registration towards the N+1 rule, so you will need to find alternative funding from a sponsor to cover the remainder of your studies, especially if you start a new programme at UCT from academic year 1. It is therefore very important to know whether you will be eligible for funding to complete your studies at UCT.

UCT applies the same basic funding rules as NSFAS. Funding is limited and the focus is on assisting students to achieve a first qualification within the national funding rules.

NSFAS does allow for an appeal process for N+2 funding provided proof is submitted confirming that you are in your final year of study. A special NSFAS Prospensity letter must be requested from your Faculty Office. 

Students are only considered for funding eligibility for a first undergraduate qualification. A second qualification will not be considered for funding.

NSFAS and UCT Student Financial Aid does not fund postgraduate diplomas, only a first undergraduate qualification.

For funding information on postgraduate funding, visit the Postgraduate Funding Office website. 

Please visit the Student Financial Aid Office web pages. You can also contact them via phone on +27 21 650 3545 or email at FinancialAid@uct.ac.za.

For Funding information on postgraduate funding visit the Postgraduate funding office website.