Start main page content

Financial Aid and Scholarships Administration

The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office (FASO) administers funds on behalf of the University, donors and sponsors. The office also provides information and advice on student funding.

Scholarships and Bursaries
External Sponsors

We administer funds on behalf of external sponsors by providing the following services:

  • Allocate funds to the student fee account.
  • Process allowances permitted by the sponsors. 
  • Provide results and fee statements to the sponsors on behalf of the students in line with the POPI Act.

Points to remember

  • Make enquiries early in the year for possible sponsors.
  • Apply to as many sponsors as possible.
  • Check closing dates - many sponsors will not accept late applications.
  • If you are unable to obtain financial aid, you are advised to postpone plans to attend university until you have sufficient funds.
  • You must apply directly to outside organisations for full particulars and application forms for bursaries, scholarships and loans offered by outside organizations, which have no contract commitments. 
  • You can google possible sponsors, request advice from our Student Liaison officers or visit our website to see if any bursary calls have been advertised on behalf of the sponsor.

Some of the External Sponsors administered by our office which students can contact are SASOL Bursaries, Eskom Bursary, Vodacom Bursary; governmental bursaries and scholarships both national and provincial.

  • N.B. Wits does not have the application forms for the awards listed in this section.

Submit your sponsorship letter to Wits

Did you know you can now submit your sponsorship letter online? Follow the steps outlined .

Regular Consultation Hours

Monday to Friday: 8:30 - 16:00

For more information contact

Discretionary funding

Students needing financial assistance for Undergraduate and Postgraduate studies at Wits can apply for the Donation Discretionary Fund via student self-service. 

Your application will be added to a database that will be used to find students that match donor criteria if, and when, we receive donor funding. This application does not guarantee you funding for the current academic year.

Please read the Discretionary Funding terms and conditions

The application can be accessed on the student self-service portal. 

The Student Self-Service How to Guide will walk you through the steps of how to access self-service for Financial Assistance.

Hardship Funding

Wits University is cognisant of a number of students who may need assistance with registration and accommodation as a result of their socio-economic circumstances.

The University has opened applications for Hardship Funding for either accommodation or registration between 03/01/2022 and 28/01/2022.

The Hardship Fund special considerations opened on the 4th of February and will close on 7th of March 2022.

Please note that resources are limited and therefore funding is not guaranteed. All students, therefore, are encouraged to continue to seek alternate funding as the criteria will be strictly applied.

  • NB. This is not a bursary, it is only to assist with registration
  • Students who apply must be eligible according to the criteria set below.

Fund Application Criteria

  • Students who have a gross household income less than R600 000 per annum.
  • Returning students who have obtained a minimum average prior-year mark of 50% and above.
  • Students who stay further than a 30km radius from the university will be considered.
  • Accommodation in a Wits accredited on- or off-campus residence facility only.

Exclusions

Hardship funding is NOT granted for:

  • Students who are eligible for the DHET Government Bursary (New NSFAS i.e. FTEN from 2018)
  • Students registered for Non-Degree courses eg. Diplomas and Certificates in the prior academic year. See full terms and conditions.
  • Students registered as part-time in the prior academic year.
  • Students who received hardship funding in the previous academic year.

How To Apply 

  1. Login to student self-service portal
  2. Click on the “Council Hardship Application” tile
  3. Select from the drop-down list “Begin New Application”
  4. Select from the drop-down list “Level of Study”
  5. Select from the drop-down list “Application type”
  6. At this stage, the hardship criteria rules will apply. If you are eligible the terms and conditions page will open.
  7. Ensure that you read and understand all the terms and conditions before proceeding with the application.

Documents Required

Please ensure that the following documents are ready as you will be required to upload them as part of the application process.

  • Proof of gross household income (combined income before deductions of income-earning members in a household must be up to R600k). It must be salary advice or any other proof of income, no affidavit will be accepted. Where necessary the University will verify income. A consent form will be required.
  • Copy of parents or guardian identity documents.
  • Consent form to verify household income.

Wits Accommodation Deposit/Full accommodation

  • Detailed affidavit (which includes details on student’s effort to secure funding and student circumstances)
  • Proof of gross household income (combined income before deductions of income-earning members in a household must be up to R600k). It must be salary advice; no affidavit will be accepted.

Students applying for emergency accommodation support must please note that an interview may be required to get a better sense of their circumstances. Should they be successful for emergency accommodation support, this will be in shared accommodation only and at a Wits accredited accommodation provider in line with the arrangements made from time to time. Accommodation arrangements are temporary and periodically reviewed.

Students who secure funding (that includes accommodation) will be required to vacate the emergency accommodation and make their own appropriate arrangements in line with their funding.

More Information

Tuition queries
HardshipTuition.FinAid@wits.ac.za 

Accommodation queries
HardshipAccomodation.FinAid@wits.ac.za

Forms

 

External Scholarship and Bursaries

External websites that list bursary opportunities:

Student Loans

Most major banking institutions offer student loans at attractive interest rates. Interest rates may decrease for consecutive years of study. Normally bank loans cover the duration of study and are repaid once you start working or once you have graduated. 

Some banks offer a grace period to students who are completing internships, articles or community service. In most instances, you are required to repay the interest while still studying.

Sometimes surety/security is required, which means that a relative, friend or sponsor must guarantee to repay the loan if you fail to do so.

Loan Providers

Crowd Funding

Share