South Africa is one of the best Africa countries where one can pursue further studies. It is one of the most popular destinations within Africa for undergraduate and postgraduate studies, particularly for individuals who do not want to leave the continent in search of further education. Below is a list of the scholarships for international students at South African Universities available.
1. University of Western Cape (UWC)
- UWC is a national university committed to excellence in learning, teaching, and research.
- This university provides educational opportunities to disadvantaged students through the provision of scholarships for higher education.
- There are a variety of internal and external scholarships, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
2. University of Kwa Zulu Natal (UKZN)
- UKZN is another great place to check out when looking for scholarships for international students at South African universities.
- This institution provides loans for Zimbabwean students via Educate, a specialized education finance provider in Zimbabwe.
- There are also scholarships available for international students from all over Africa. One example is the Frene Ginwala Scholarship awarded to the first 10 female African entrants who register at UKZN. Each person is awarded R20,000 towards their studies.
- The University of Johannesburg, one of the top ten universities in South Africa, offers academic merit bursaries on an annual basis, bursaries given to students who display exceptional academic achievement.
- These bursaries are available to students who originate from the following SADC countries – Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Eswatini, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Congo DRC, Namibia, and Seychelles.
- Stellenbosch University is a public research university located in Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape Province in South Africa.
- This institution awards bursary loans and bursaries based on financial need.
- Prospective recipients of these bursaries must not only display their financial need, but also the potential to succeed in their studies.
5. University of Pretoria (UP)
- UP is one of the largest research universities in South Africa, and a top-ranked university in the continent.
- Scholarships available at UP include achievement awards and managed bursaries for all levels of study. Individuals can also apply for the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at this university.
- Early application for scholarships at UP is encouraged, just in case you are not able to cover all your educational costs in future.
6. University of Witwatersrand
- The University of Witwatersrand is another great place to find scholarships for international students at South African universities. It is currently ranked among the top 1% of universities worldwide.
- International students at this institution can only apply for postgraduate scholarships. These scholarships include postgraduate merit awards and postgraduate bursaries.
- These awards do not cover living expenses.
7. University of Cape Town (UCT)
- UCT, South Africa’s oldest university, is a leading teaching and research institution in Africa. It is currently ranked as the top university in the African continent.
- This institution offers a limited number of postgraduate scholarships for deserving international applicants.
- In addition to these scholarships, there are also faculty-based bursaries that help to reduce the termly fee. These bursaries are awarded by Faculty Deans, and are based on financial need, academic merit and faculty requirements.
Scholarships for international students at South African Universities are not hard to find, as long as you know where to look. The list above should give you a great start!