2024 bursary application period
The 2024 UNISA Postgraduate Bursary Application 13 November 2023 to 13 January 2024
N.B: Only online applications submitted via myUnisa link app will be considered. No hard copy, email or hand delivered, late or incomplete applications will be considered.
N.B: Students need to be temporarily registered by 31 January 2024 for registration to be activated once application is successful.
N.B Returning bursary beneficiary are required to re-apply for the bursary for each academic year registered for the same previously funded qualification subject to bursary guidelines, terms and conditions.
About the bursary
The postgraduate diploma and honours bursary aim to assist South African Unisa alumni students with their Unisa tuition fees, thus enabling them to register and complete their qualifications.
Financial support is offered to both postgraduate diploma and honours students subject to eligibility, academic performance, and availability of funds.
Important Notices:
- The 2024 Q&A session will be taking place in November. In this Q&A session you will learn more about the Unisa Masters and Doctoral Bursary application, awarding and refunds process
2024 Academic Year, Honours Bursaries Q&A session Direct Link:
Live event will take place on Monday, 6 November 2023 at 10am (South African time) on Microsoft Team
2024 Honours Bursaries Q&A Session
- To all 2023 Approved & Awarded students:
- Kindly note that the processing of refunds and allowance is still in progress, please ensure that all the required documents have been submitted.
-
- It is important to note that no student’s account will be settled, and no bursary refunds/allowances will be processed until the Bursary contracts have been submitted/received and processed
PG Diploma/ Honours Bursary guidelines, terms, and conditions
Click here for a PDF copy
Who can apply?
- Returning PG Diploma/ Honours bursary beneficiaries who are re-applying as required by the bursary guidelines, terms and conditions
- Only South African (citizens) UNISA NQF level 7 undergraduates’ alumni who have completed their degree/ advance diploma (by 31 January 2024) and attained an average of 60% on their entire undergraduate qualification are eligible to apply.
- South African PG Diploma/ Honours students in their second year of study who have passed at least three postgraduate modules in the same Postgraduate qualification, with an average of 60% on their entire postgraduate qualification.
Who can apply?
- New Bursary applicants – never been funded by UNISA PG Bursary.
- Only South African (citizens) UNISA NQF level 7 undergraduates’ alumni students who have completed their degree/ advance diploma by 31 January 2024, and attained an average of 60% on their entire undergraduate qualification (including supplementary, failed, etc modules).
- South African (citizens) UNISA NQF level 8 PG Diploma/ Honours students in their second year of study who have passed at least three postgraduate modules at an average of 60% in the same previous year registered Postgraduate qualification.
- Returning Beneficiaries – previously funded by UNISA PG Bursary.
- South African (citizens) UNISA NQF level 8 Honours/ PG Diploma students who have passed their previously funded/ registered modules with an average of 50%.
Who can NOT apply?
- UNISA permanent staff members.
- Graduate School of Business Leadership students registered for:
- Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management
- Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management.
- Postgraduate Diploma in Supply Chain Management
- Students registered for special study programmes, including certificates (PGCE) and non-degree purpose programmes are not eligible for this bursary.
- Students who only completed special study programmes, including certificates (PGCE) and non-degree purpose programmes and do not have Unisa NQF level 7 qualifications.
- Students who already hold a postgraduate degree at the same or a higher NQF level to the qualification registered are not eligible for this bursary.
What does the bursary fund?
- The bursary covers TUITION FEES ONLY.
- The bursary does NOT provide any laptop, accommodation or textbook or additional study material allowances.
- The bursary funds students for TWO consecutive years of funding, subject to 2nd year approved re-application.
- The bursary does NOT cover failed/ repeating modules.
- The bursary does NOT fund additional or different NQF level 8 qualification from the one previously funded.
- The bursary does NOT cover historic debt.
- Priority will be given to outstanding students with higher averages – awarding from highest to the lowest performing student (e.g., from 100% average to 60% average) subject to the availability of funds, as per average calculation on the entire undergraduate qualification/ three honours/PG diploma modules (including supplementary, failed, etc modules).
Outcome will only be communicated to student’s mylife email account:
- Unsuccessful students who paid for their own registration should deregister before cancellation closing date (through their colleges/ myUnisa) if they cannot find alternative funding.
- Successful students who paid for their own registration should retain/ keep their registration proof of payment (ATM receipt/ speed point receipt etc).
- Postgraduate diploma and honours students may submit an appeal between 1 April – 7 April.
- Appeals should be submitted as a formal email to CGS-pgb@unisa.ac.za with information/ evidence proving that the rejection reason(s) provided contradicts student’s status quo.
- Students who can NOT appeal
- Students who have been fully funded for the full bursary period.
- Students who are unsuccessful due to insufficient funds.
- Students who have adequate external/ alternative funding (double dipping)
- Students who were rejected by the college vetting process due to unsatisfactory academic performance.
- Students who are NOT eligible for the bursary as per bursary guidelines, terms, and conditions.
What should awarded students do?
- Send the signed bursary contract as per email instructions before closing date thereof.
- Students who paid their registration fees from their own pocket:
- Submit their banking details through the provided link as per email instructions from the award section, student can NOT use a third-party bank account (bank account should be the student’s account)
If your banking details verification is rejected, you’ll be emailed a claim/ refund form to submit instead.
- Email as per email instructions:
- certified ID copy not older than 6 months along
- with proof of payment (bank statement/ bank payment confirmation/ receipt) that reflects the payment(s). – if paid your own fees.
- Student whose registration fees were paid by a 3rd party (e.g., company, another person/ organisation):
- Only in the case where company is loaning the tuition fees to the student, a refund of the awarded tuition can be refunded back to the company. (Documentation from the company will be required to proof the loan)
- Refund will only be paid to individual 3rd parties that paid for student’s tuition fee on your behalf as a student.
- The company/ organisation/ 3rd party bank account confirmation letter from the bank will be required and completed Claim/ Refund form with the 3rd party bank account details, as per email instructions from the award section.
Include in your email submission:
- certified ID copy not older than 6 months along
- with proof of payment (bank statement/ bank payment confirmation/ receipt) that reflects the payment(s)
- and 3rd party bank account confirmation letter
- The period of processing the claim will take 15-21 working days after receiving the correct refund documents.
Please note:
- Students should temporarily register all the modules they want to study for the year as there will not be a second award of additional modules during the academic year (semester/ year modules).
- Unisa gives no guarantee that the bursary will be awarded to all eligible students, as the bursary is subject to the availability of funds.
- If a student:
- fails to comply with any of the conditions of the award, and/or
- terminates their studies, their Unisa postgraduate bursary will be cancelled, and the current year’s Unisa postgraduate bursary amount awarded will be charged to the student’s account, which will be handed over to the Unisa legal and finance department to effect the collection process.
- Student who wishes to cancel their registration/ modules will have to deregister before cancellation closing date (through their colleges/ myUnisa) and once cancellation is confirmed, communicate an award withdrawal to DSF PG bursary Award Section at DSF-POSTGRD@unisa.ac.za
- Note that Division of Student Funding DOES NOT administer deregistration/ module cancellations.
- It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they cancel before cancellation closing date and note that student may forfeit any amounts paid by the student and or may remain liable to pay the full outstanding fees.
- For PG Diploma/ Honours cancellations, visit:Unisa's cancellation dates
2024 PG Bursary application app guide for PGD/ Honours students is now available, Click here to download
Click here to apply