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Learning Liberated Scholarship & Bursary Programme.

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

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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:

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Join our Learning Liberated Scholarship and Bursary Programme today.

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

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This is a question about fees

Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum.

This is a question about fees

Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum.

This is a question about fees

Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum.

Is this an online university?

Nope, UCT Online High School is an online high school for Gr 8-12 learners for the SA National Senior Certificate (CAPS), learners in Year 10 for the Cambridge International curriculum* and adult learners who want to receive their Adult Matric; an incredible, cutting-edge, online one at that!

*Years 11, 12 and 13 for the Cambridge International curriculum will be offered in the coming years.

Who are the Learning Facilitators?

They are the remarkable group of individuals responsible for educating, motivating and inspiring our learners. They’ve been hand-selected and are some of the best in South Africa.

Our Learning Facilitators are passionate about making a lasting, positive impact in the world by enabling learners to reach their full potential. They know that the way to elicit the best from each learner is through meaningful engagement and a sincere commitment to their success.

We can’t wait for you to meet them!

How is cyberbullying managed?

We have a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of bullying. Key staff members that engage with Adult Matric learners during their learning journey complete intensive training to ensure that they are fully equipped to offer support as and if appropriate.

What is UCT Online High School?

UCT Online High School is a bold new initiative from the University of Cape Town and its partner, Valenture Institute. Developed to enable high school and adult learners throughout South Africa, and beyond, to choose an aspirational secondary school. UCT Online High School's ecosystem is designed to help learners unleash their potential and set them up for success in school, university and life.

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.

How often do examinations and or Cycle Tests take place?

Typically, there are two sets of internal examinations per subject, per grade, held in the 2nd and 4th terms. These examinations will summatively test the content covered up to that point. Some subjects supplement the 2 examinations with Cycle Tests in terms 1 and 3.

In Grade 12/matric, high school learners will write external exams in term 3 and term 4.

Are any assessments involved in the application process?

Yes, your child may need to complete an English and/or Mathematics assessment during the application process.

Do learners ever have the opportunity to meet face-to-face?

Yes, learners and guardians are encouraged to meet up and get to know each other. UCT Online High School will do its best to enable  learners and guardians to do this by creating online spaces to get to know each other and self-organise.

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.

Want to join us on our mission to unleash South Africa's learning potential?

If you are part of a corporate or NGO that would like to find out more about contributing to our Learning Liberated Scholarship and Bursary Programme, get in touch through the form below.
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