Learning Liberated Scholarship & Bursary Programme.

Join us on our mission to unleash South Africa's learning potential

This is our mission.

UCT Online High School is launching a Learning Liberated Scholarship & Bursary Programme to unleash South Africa's learning potential. Our mission is to make online education as affordable as possible to provide more education opportunities to bright young South Africans. As a result, we are collaborating with Corporate South Africa to make this vision a reality by unlocking the funds to make this possible. If you would like to be part of this exciting opportunity and apply for a potential scholarship or bursary you will need to complete an application as part of your UCT Online High School admissions application.

Why partial scholarships or bursaries?

The Learning Liberated Scholarship or Bursary programme offers partial scholarships or bursaries for a January start date to make education more accessible to a diverse range of learners who may not afford the full tuition. This approach allows for more efficient distribution of financial aid, supporting a larger number of learners with available funds. Additionally, funding through donations and philanthropy increases support for the programme, as donors can see their tangible impact on multiple learners. Partial scholarships or bursaries also foster a sense of commitment among recipients to maintain academic performance, leading to higher success rates. Furthermore, this financial assistance helps learners and their families manage education costs.

Available for entry into grades

8-11

Curriculum

NSC

Partial Scholarship or Bursaries

80% of the
Tuition fee

Next Intake

Jan 2025

Our Partners

Applications for 2025 close in:

000

Days

Hrs

Min

Sec

Join our Learning Liberated Scholarship and Bursary Programme today.

Download LLSB Policy

Hear from our existing scholarship & bursary learners

Learning Liberated Scholarship & Bursary eligibility criteria

Applicant must be a South African citizen
Applicant must reside in South Africa
At least one of the applicant's guardians must be a South African citizen
Applicant must be age appropriate for the grades to which they are applying (grades 8-11)
Applicant must want to complete the CAPS curriculum resulting in the National Senior Certificate (NSC)
Applicant must demonstrate financial need (the family household income may not exceed R350,000 per annum or R29,000 per month)

Applicants applying for entry into:
1. Grades 8-10 must obtain a minimum 50% ave in both English (Home Language) and Mathematics
2. Grade 11 must obtain a minimum 50% ave in English (Home Language) and 40% ave in either Mathematics or Maths Literacy
Applicant must have aspirations to pursue a tertiary education and career after school
Applicant must have access to stable internet, a laptop or desktop, and a printer
Applicant must have a safe learning environment with necessary support from at least 1 adult champion/supervisor
Applicant must submit an Applicant Reference Letter from a senior member of the learner’s current school and must accompany the scholarship application confirming that the learner has the necessary aptitude to thrive in an online learning environment.
Applicant must submit an Aspirations & Academic Journey Letter motivating their desire to pursue a tertiary education and career after high school

Applicant

6 May - 31 August 2024

An APPLICANT:

Starts an application
Works through the application process towards becoming a Candidate
Can have their application closed if they do not meet eligibility criteria, submit correct documents, successfully complete the LLSB Application Assessment, or follow the process correctly

Candidate

1 - 30 September 2024

A Candidate has:

Completed the application process
Met all the eligibility criteria
Successfully completed the LLSB Application Assessment and
Submitted all required documents, including SRO validation
Paid Placement Fee (non-refundable)

Candidates are not guaranteed a scholarship or bursary but will be shortlisted and depending on available funding and Sponsor's additional requirements; will be matched accordingly

Recipient

1 - 31 October 2024

A RECIPIENT is someone who has:

Been awarded and accepts a Learning Liberated Scholarship or Bursary supported by a corporate sponsor
Received a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
Accepted the T&Cs of the MOA, and has signed and returned the MOA within the specified timeframe and
Submitted their Term 4, 2024 Academia report and this has been validated by SRO team

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve got tons of A’s

This is a question about fees

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This is a question about fees

Do we partner with tutoring centres or anything of that nature?

Unfortunately, not. We place the highest authority on the safety and security of our learners. Our Learning Facilitators, Support Coaches and staff are thoroughly vetted and monitored in line with our Safeguarding Policy to ensure that your child is as safe as possible in all their interactions with the UCT Online High School.

Unlike a traditional school, your child will not be on our premises and therefore we cannot take responsibility for your child’s safety at your home or any other environment that your child is using to access the UCT Online High School.

We cannot take responsibility or vouch for any third parties such as:
- au-pairs,
- tutors,
- schools,
- or any other person or institution that you contract with to supplement, care for, or assist your child with the UCT Online High School programme.

UCT Online High School is completely independent of these people or institutions. We cannot take any responsibility for them. Where guardians contract with another party or school, such a contract is between the guardian and that person or company and in no way involves UCT Online High School.

Are Support Coaches equipped to provide emotional and mental health support?

Our Support Coaches are dedicated to nurturing and developing our high school learners holistically. While our Support Coaches are equipped to provide excellent holistic support, they are not counsellors. When a high school learner is in need of emotional or mental health support that is outside the bounds of the Support Coaches purview, they will refer them to our School Counsellor. Our School Counsellor will supply a referral where matters exceed their duty of care. UCT Online High School does not cover costs for all external support.

Do you accept international learners?

We welcome high school learners from all around the world to join our global classroom. Please note that all live events, including tests and internal examinations, are fixed and are in South African Standard Time (SAST). If you live in a time zone with a 6-hour (or greater) time difference to South Africa, please speak to our Admissions Consultants for more details. Please remember to consider whether the CAPS curriculum, which ends in Grade12/matric with a South African National Senior Certificate (NSC), is best suited to your child. External examinations for the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) have to be written in person at an approved SACAI examination centre within South Africa.

Is a placement fee required?

To secure your child’s place at our school and accept the conditional offer, we require a once-off placement fee to be paid in advance. This payment is non-refundable and will not be deducted from the total tuition cost.

This fee includes, but is not limited to the costs associated with record verification, high school learner onboarding and the purchase of technology licences on behalf of the high school learner.

How do art practicals work in an online environment?

UCT Online High School utilises video demonstrations to deliver creative art practicals for internal assessments. Learners will never be required to attend a physical venue to conduct a Visual Art or Drama practical. Instead, high school learners are required to purchase the items listed in the stationery and equipment list (where possible, high school learners can substitute materials for what they have available). For Visual Art, high school learners will work in their art book using the materials from their kit and photograph their work according to our specifications using their smartphones or tablets. The photograph will be inserted by the high school learner into a document and uploaded for grading. For drama, high school learners will use their smartphone or laptop to record their performances and upload them for grading. The methods used to deliver Creative Art practicals adhere to the Curriculum Assessment Policies Statements (CAPS) outlined by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). We aim to equip high school learners with the practical skills required to prepare them for future studies in the creative arts through the use of innovative and accessible tools.

What documents are required upon application?

You need to have the following critical documents on hand:

1) ‍A copy of your birth certificate or South African Identity Document
2) A General Education and Training Certificate (GETC); or a Grade 9/old Standard 7 school report stating that you have passed; or
3) A recognised equivalent qualification at NQF level 1 which requires 2 official languages.

Once you've received a conditional offer and have accepted your placement at UCT Online High School, we will ask you to submit all of the documents referenced in the application process during the pre-orientation phase. These documents are required before starting at UCT Online High School.

Which languages are offered by UCT Online High School?

English (Home Language) is the medium of instruction for UCT Online High School Adult Matric learners, and additional languages are offered as First Additional Language (FAL). First Additional Languages on offer are Afrikaans or isiXhosa.

When does your academic year start?

We follow a southern hemisphere academic calendar, which runs from January to December each year.

Partnering with a PBO

UCT Online High School has partnered with the iBhodi Trust (Registration number IT000433/2020), a Public Benefit Organization (PBO) to facilitate all donations for the high school Learning Liberated Scholarship & Bursary programme. There are several compelling reasons for this. Firstly, the financial benefits are clear, as donations often come with tax incentives, reducing the overall cost of giving while maximising the positive impact of the contribution.

Secondly, PBOs ensure transparency and accountability in fund management, providing our partners with the assurance that their resources are being used efficiently and ethically. This ensures that the funds are directed towards their intended purpose - supporting deserving learners in their pursuit of education. Ultimately, investing in a PBO associated with a high school scholarship & bursary programme aligns corporate philanthropy with financial prudence, transparency, and a strong commitment to the betterment of the community and the education of future leaders.