Post-Graduate funding

Funding your studies

As a post-grad student

Just Because you’re an international student doesn’t mean you can’t get post-grad funding

There isn’t much to find on Google when you search funding your studies in South Africa as an international student. That’s because national funding for tertiary education usually goes towards elevating the education levels of the citizens of a particular country. Bursaries and scholarships are awarded to students as investments in their future, which is why it’s hard to find funding for international students. Although, you do have options.

For example, Rhodes University has four bursaries for Post-Graduate students that are ‘international student friendly’. Four is not a lot, you say? No, it’s not. But that’s because the donor of the bursary can set the rules and requirements for who gets the bursary.

Current students have concerns with regards to the lack of communication between post graduate funding office and the international office. They were tired of feeling disheartened when a perfect bursary came along, that they met every requirement of only to read,

“For south African students only”

A suggestion was that the international office would send out emails concerning the bursaries that applied to international students. But this could potentially be problematic, as explained by John Gillam, head of Post Graduate Funding office.

The first reason he gives is that he finds that incredibly discriminatory, and wouldn’t be in accordance to the principles of the school. Secondly, that international students can still apply for bursaries classified under ‘for SA ID holders/permanent resident permit holders only,’ they must just be aware that their chances are slim, because a South African would be favoured over the international student because of the requirements set out by the donor.

However, if the South African student doesn’t meet the other requirements, the donor can be informed that there is an international student with the relevant requirements who has applied, and the donor may chose to award the bursary regardless of the legal status of the student. It’s not unheard of that a bursary from a donor like SASOL for example, has been awarded to an international student. This happens in cases where a) you have prospects of working for the company in South Africa when you graduate, or b) a branch of that company exists in your home country.

Again, it’s all about investments. And simply put, donors don’t want to invest in students that will gain the education from their budget, only to return to their home countries and never give back or contribute to the donor’s company. As brutal as it may sound, from an economic point of view, it makes sense.

This does limit international students to what bursaries they qualify for. And it puts an immense pressure on us to work even harder than our South African class mates. The biggest piece of advice that both students and John had to give you was to educate yourself on what you may be eligible for and to contact the relevant people. You lose nothing by asking for guidance and information.