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.
Tuition fee
Our Partners
Applications for 2025 close in:
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
- 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
- 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)
- 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
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Applicants can be as young as 16 years old when applying for Adult Matric but will need to be 21 years old when they write their ASC examination.
A high school learner’s achievement in Grades 8–12 is reported by using the standard system in the CAPS curriculum. All final marks will be reported in percentages. A corresponding rating and level of competence are obtained using the following system:
100 - 80% - Outstanding achievement - 7
79 - 70% - Meritorious achievement - 6
69 - 60% - Substantial achievement - 5
59 - 50% - Adequate achievement - 4
49 - 40% - Moderate achievement - 3
39 - 30% - Elementary achievement - 2
29 - 0% - Not achieved - 1
This particular offering is aligned with the South African National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) which prepares Adult Matric learners for their final Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) qualification certification. This will cover all requirements necessary for the FET Phase (Grades 11 and 12, and where applicable, Grade 10).
UCT Online High School hires dedicated Learning Facilitators, Support Coaches and educational professionals who are incredibly good at creating and delivering content to high school and adult learners.
UCT (the university) and Valenture Institute have a shared governance structure to manage UCT Online High School. UCT’s Vice-Chancellor is Chair of the Oversight Committee, and UCT's faculty sits on the Operations and Governance committee, which is responsible for academic quality assurance, governance and overall management of the school.
UCT Online High School learners* also gain access to UCT faculty through our virtual My Brilliant Future series, hosted by our Head of Student Culture, Kieno Kammies. In this series, Kieno will interview UCT faculty and industry experts on topics to help set learners up for success at school, university and in life. In addition, UCT Online High School's learners will benefit from access to the UCT Vice Chancellor’s Open Lecture Series, as well as faculty-led seminars on areas of research at UCT.
*This is not applicable for Adult Matric learners.
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.
Good question! Learners* will have the opportunity to build community and make friends from all over the country through their Support Coach Check-in sessions, which will happen every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 15 minutes, not to mention our school assemblies and Virtual Clubs
*This is not applicable to Adult Matric learners
Not currently, but our team is working in the background to make this possible in the near future.
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.
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.
