University of KwaZulu-Natal Scholarships

University of KwaZulu-Natal Scholarships

A scholarship is a prize or reward for top students, regardless of how financially needy they are. One student may win several scholarships. Most of our internally funded scholarships are programmatically run and do not require an application form, however there are a few that require a student to make an application. These are advertised on the UKZN’s lan notices during the course of the year.
The Scholarships office in STUDENT FUNDING administers the following scholarships:
Internal Scholarships
Trust Funds
NRF Freestanding Scholarships (Honours, Masters and Doctoral students)
Overseas Scholarships
Scholarships and Merit Awards: 2024

1. INTRODUCTION

 
Scholarships and Merit Awards are offered to the top Grade 12’s intending to study at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). The Grade 12 Merit Awards are awarded on receipt of the Senior Certificate symbols from the Department of Basic Education and no separate application for the scholarship is necessary (you must apply and be offered a place for study at UKZN through the Central Applications Office (CAO) in order to qualify). This does not apply to any individual who has studied beyond Grade 12 before coming to the University of KwaZulu-Natal and/or is not intending to do so within two years of the applicant’s Senior Certificate date. (Subject to annual review)
Please note that recipients can only qualify for one scholarship per academic year.
B. 1. PRESTIGE ENTRANT SCHOLARSHIPS

1.1 PIUS LANGA SCHOLARSHIP (PRESTIGE ENTRANT SCHOLARSHIP)
R50,000 to matriculants from schools writing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations and ranked in the top ten in each of the nine provinces, and to learners from Independent Examination Board (IEB) schools in KZN who are ranked in the top 50 nationally in the IEB final matriculation examinations.
 
Renewal/Retention of Pius Langa Scholarship
Entrant prestige awards of R50,000 may be retained into the next year of undergraduate study if the recipient scores at least 80% on a weighted average basis on a normal full-year subject load.
 
1.2 FRENE GINWALA SCHOLARSHIP (PRESTIGE ENTRANT EQUITY SCHOLARSHIP)
 
The top 10 African female entrants who register at the University of KwaZulu-Natal are awarded R20,000.
 
Renewal/Retention of Frene Ginwala Scholarship
Entrant prestige equity awards of R20,000 may be retained into the next year of undergraduate study if the recipient scores at least 70% on a weighted average basis on a normal full-year subject load. Recipients of prestige equity awards who score between 70% and 74% on the same basis may retain an award of R15, 000.
2. ENTRANT MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
 
2.1 Merit Scholarships of R20, 000 are available to top achievers with Level 7 or greater NSC results in at least six academic subjects excluding Life Orientation & Mathematics Literacy
2.2 Merit Scholarships of R15, 000 are available to top achievers with Level 7 or greater NSC results in at least five academic subjects excluding Life Orientation &Mathematics Literacy.
 
Entrant awards are not available to learners who join the University of KwaZulu-Natal from other institutions of higher learning.
 
Renewal/Retention of entrant awards
Entrant merit awards may be retained into the next year of undergraduate study at R20,000 if the recipient scores at least 80% on a weighted average basis on a normal full-year subject load (dependent on degree and College requirements).
 
NB: All Entrant awards may not be carried forward into postgraduate study.
3. GRADE 12 TOP PERFORMANCE LEARNERS
 
An Entrant Scholarship Voucher of R20, 000 will be given at UKZN to those matriculants who are ranked within the top 10% of Entrants from each of the largest 100 feeder schools serving the University of KwaZulu-Natal based on their Grade 11 results, who are not included in category 2 above i.e. Entrants attracting these awards cannot also hold the Merit Scholarships for Exceptional Achievement.
Renewal/Retention of entrant awards
These entrant merit awards may be retained into the next year of undergraduate study at the same value of R20, 000 if the recipient scores at least 80% on a weighted average basis on a normal full-year subject load.
4. PRESTIGE SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS
 
Learners must have played sport at National level in the year immediately before registration with the institution; the scholarship is intended to cover tuition costs. A maximum of 12 scholarships are awarded, renewals are based on satisfactory academic performance.
Closing date for the Sports applications is 31 October.
Further information on application procedures can be obtained from:
 
The Financial Aid Advisor
College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science
Howard College: 031 260 7064/1502
Pietermaritzburg: 033 260 5837/6145
Westville: 031 260 7705
 
 
The Financial Aid Advisor
Scholarships Office
College of Health Sciences
Howard College: 031 260 4359/7162
Medical Campus: 031 260 4359/7889
Westville: 031 260 7889
 
 
The Financial Aid Advisor
Scholarships Office
College of Humanities
Howard College: 031 260 3258/2912
Pietermaritzburg: 033 260 5758
Edgewood: 031 260 3603
 
The Financial Aid Advisor
Scholarships Office
College of Law and Management Studies
Howard College: 031 260 1106
Pietermaritzburg: 033 260 5837
Westville: 031 260 7912
 
To access latest information on scholarships please visit our website http://studentfunding.ukzn.ac.za/financial-support-incl-scholarships/scholarships.aspx
http://applications.ukzn.ac.za/Scholarships-Merit-Awards.aspx
 
C. UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS:
 
No application is required (unless stated) for these scholarships. These are automatically awarded by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Scholarships Awards Sub-Committee. However, students transferring with excellent marks from other Tertiary Institutions should bring their academic records to the attention of the Scholarships Office.
LC ROBINSON SCHOLARSHIP
This is awarded to the top registered Undergraduate student.
BRENDA GOURLEY SCHOLARSHIP
This is awarded to the 2nd best registered undergraduate student
100th ANNIVERSARY SCHOLARSHIP
This is awarded to the 3rd best registered undergraduate student
UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
Awarded to the students achieving an average of  80% and above in the previous year and will with their undergraduate degree.
D.POSTGRADUATE STUDY

POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
Awarded to top performing postgraduates at various levels of study. Candidates with consistently first-class academic results are considered automatically and no application is required.
Value: R22000
DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIP
Awarded the best registered Doctoral student in each College
On application to the Financial Aid Advisor in the colleges by 6 March 2024.
Value: R50000
GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP FOR COURSEWORK MASTERS
Awarded to all full-time registered Master’s students [UKZN staff members and their dependents/spouses with fee remission do not qualify]. The previous degree must have been obtained with an average mark of at least 70%. The award will cover up to 80% of tuition costs.
MASTERS FULL-TIME RESEARCH & DOCTORAL FULL-TIME FEE REMISSION
All students pursuing the above degree types will have 100% of their Tuition Fee covered after registration.
[UKZN staff members and their dependents/spouses with fee remission do not qualify].
1. Masters study is for one year only
2. Doctoral study is for three years.
 
EMMA SMITH OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP
Awarded to the best female candidate from the Durban Metro area meeting the Trust’s other specific conditions.
On application to the Financial Aid Advisor by 28 February.
SPECIAL AWARDS FOR HONOURS STUDIES
The purpose of these awards is to expand the pool of post-graduate students by providing special funding. Honours candidates must have obtained an average mark of at least 70% in final year of the undergraduate degree. Automatic consideration after registration by the Scholarships Office. Value R15,000.
E. OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS
The University Scholarships Committee is requested from time-to-time to make nominations for Deceased Estates and other Scholarship trusts. These are done in strict accordance with the Sponsors’ wishes and/or Deceased Estate requirements. A UKZN Scholarships Policy governs these decisions.
 
In addition, the Office administers the following:
NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION (NRF) SCHOLARSHIPS (on-line applications through www.nrf.ac.za
)
OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS e.g. Commonwealth or Fullbright Scholarships (advertised periodically on the University Electronic notice-board (LAN).
 
UKZN CAPPED MAXIMUM STUDENT AWARD VALUES
The need for UKZN to approve maximum values for student awards has become urgent in view of a change in the NRF approach to this matter. In previous years the University followed the NRF directive which allowed students to supplement NRF scholarships by half the value of the scholarship in the absence of institutionally approved figures and this was used as a guide in the University. NRF has removed this provision and has left this decision to Universities. A review of capped values for different postgraduate qualification levels in a range of South African universities (9) shows that UKZN is one of two of the top five research universities that does not yet have capped scholarship values defined.
The UKZN 2014 Student Fee Guide together with an analysis of 2013 awards made across qualifications have been used to inform the maximum capped values for UKZN and accommodates the vast majority of student awards.

The following will apply in implementing these capped values:
1. The principle underpinning all awards is that the University strives to recognize as many deserving students as possible;
2. The conditions and criteria of individual awards must be respected and adhered to in all instances, especially where multiple awards are made; (that is, students may need to choose from among multiple awards);
3. The University Scholarships Policy which provides for limiting multiple awards to individual students and for making awards without purse; and the Fee Remission Policy which limits multiple awards to one individual from the University Main Fund, shall continue to apply;
4. Exceptions to the capped maximum values are allowed in cases where a single award exceeds the capped value (E.g. Scholarships for studying abroad or in scarce skills areas);
5. Double dipping will not be allowed (E.g. two or more awards may not be retained where the awards are all made for the same line item such as payment of tuition fees unless the award conditions explicitly allows such);
6. Post doc awards that are made over and above the university approved norm (R180 000 + R20 000 research) are payable from external/discretionary funds (i.e. not University Main Fund), and values that exceed R180 000 will be taxable as required by SARS;
7. Any awards made are subject to the availability of funding;
8. These capped maximum values will apply for the 2014/2024 period and may be reviewed annually or bi-annually.
Professor Renuka Vithal
Chair: Scholarships Committee
12 March 2014