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Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the forms of financial support available for students at Walter Sisulu University?
Bursaries
- A bursary is a grant or financial assistance given to a student for study in a specific field. Bursaries may differ in the amounts of money and duration period.
- Financial assistance in the form of a bursary is given to students selected according to various criteria set by donors.
- Bursaries are granted on the basis of financial need and academic merit. Sometimes they carry conditions of employment.
- Most bursaries are offered directly by private companies to students, and all applications are handled directly by these companies.
- If you apply for financial aid at this university, and you meet the criteria for a bursary offered through Walter Sisulu University, you will be shortlisted for this bursary, and either the university or the bursary funder will make the final decision on your eligibility.
- For more information on bursaries offered to students at WSU, you can contact the Bursary Officers at the Mthatha and Butterworth campuses.
- There are many resources for students on the internet to look for bursaries that are available.
- Each of these bursaries has different closing dates, but the best advice is to find out and apply as early as possible.
- It is your responsibility as the student to research the available bursaries, make sure you meet the criteria, and apply for these bursaries.
- The Bursaries Officers at the university can certainly assist you with this process, but it is your responsibility to apply for the bursaries that best match your requirements.
- WSU’s Financial Aid Bureau administers bursaries and loans from various government departments, the private sector and international donors. Contact the numbers below for further details.
Loans
- A loan is a sum of money lent to a student for the purpose of study, usually from a private commercial bank or financial services provider.
- A loan is usually repayable on completion of study.
- If the applicant is under 21, a parent or a guardian stands surety, unless the student is offered a loan from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (applications for these loans are made to the university financial aid office).
- This type of financial assistance is awarded to a student according to the level of his/her needs, taking into account the financial circumstances of the family.
So what is NSFAS then?
What does academically deserving mean?
What does financially needy mean?
Do all students who apply for loans receive financial aid?
What do I need to know about applying for financial aid at WSU?
Where must my application form be sent/handed in?
What happens if I don’t have all the necessary documentation?
Do I have to apply every year?
Do I have to pay an application fee to apply for financial aid?
What happens after I hand in my application form?
What happens when I accept the offer for NSFAS student financial aid?
When will the loans funds be available?
What happens to any money that is left available in my student fee account once all my university costs have been paid for?
And if my application is not successful, and I don’t get NSFAS funding?
What about if I do have outstanding supplementary exam results at the time of registration?
What is the selection criteria for the funding?