Corporate social responsibility: Companies offering high school scholarships in South Africa

South Africa has enormous disparities in education. As a country, we still have a long way to go to ensure all children have access to equal educational opportunities. 

And that means all sectors have an important role. One key player in the educational ecosystem of South Africa is private enterprises.

Private enterprises typically offer corporate scholarships and bursaries as part of their corporate social responsibility or corporate social investment (CSI) programme. These programmes aim to increase educational access to all. 

We’ll take a look at the ways in which these organisations are supporting education and contributing to communities. Then, we’ll dive into some of the specific scholarships on offer. 

Why are corporate scholarships important? 

While corporate scholarships will by no means address South Africa’s educational gaps alone, they play a role, by: 

Supporting learners in need 

These programmes invest in youth education and development, and open up high-quality education opportunities for talented young people who might otherwise be unable to afford tuition at a top school. 

And with funding from the business sector, families are able to meet their educational goals without having to take on the burden of student loans. 

Investing in under-resourced communities

These programmes seek to reduce educational and economic inequality. By providing scholarships to learners from under-resourced communities, corporate scholarships seek to invest in these communities and broaden educational options.

Building pathways

These programmes are built on the understanding that many learners have the potential for educational success, but are held back by economic inequality. 

Scholarships help to clear the pathway for learners – for opportunities in high school education, tertiary education, employment and beyond. 

Which corporates offer scholarships in South Africa?

Allan Gray Orbis Foundation

1. The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation aims to develop a community of young leaders with an entrepreneurial outlook. 
2. This programme has two focuses: fostering entrepreneurship and providing financial support for high school learners. 
3. The scholarship is open to Grade 6 learners and provides financial support for a broad range of educational needs – including tuition fees, stationary, textbooks, uniforms and much more. 

You can learn more about the scholarship here.

Investec CSI Bursary Programme

1. This Investec programme focuses on providing support for Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners from township communities and rural schools. 
2. They focus on learners who demonstrate academic potential, particularly in the fields of Maths and Science. 

You can learn more about this bursary programme here.

SANRAL Scholarship

1. SANRAL offers a limited number of scholarships to help young learners (Grade 8 to 12) grow their skills and achieve success. 
2. The scholarship offers financial support for: tuition fees, stationery, textbooks, school transport, uniforms and more. 

You can learn more about the scholarship here. 

KFC Ikusasa Lethu Scholarship

1. KFC’s Ikusasa Lethu scholarship programme provides access to quality education to deserving learners (Grade 8, 9 and 10) whose parents work for a KFC restaurant, and to children who are Add Hope beneficiaries across South Africa.
2. The scholarship covers tuition fees, stationery, textbooks, devices and more. 

You can find out more about the scholarship here.

Learning Liberated

1. The Learning Liberated scholarship programme is offered by UCT Online High School. It seeks to make online education as affordable and accessible as possible for South African youth (Grade 8 to 11 learners). 
2. The programme supports learners from economically disadvantaged families who have a strong academic record, and indicate aspirations for their post Matric education and career development. 
3. The programme is sponsored by Valenture Institute, Sanlam, iBhodi Trust, South African Human Rights Commission and Imbeleko Foundation. 
4. The scholarship covers 50% of tuition fees for each scholarship recipient, and 100% of the Grade 12 SACAI examination fee. 

You can learn more about the Learning Liberated scholarship programme here.

Find out more about high school scholarships available to South African learners

If you’re ready to dive into scholarship opportunities for your child, check out our guide to South African high school scholarships. 

And then you’re ready to get started, read our top tips on compiling a winning scholarship application.

‍