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

How social will the experience be for me/my child?

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

What is a Mastery Check?

A Mastery Check is a formative or summative assessment (mainly formative – we’ll explain the difference in the next section) that assesses Adult Matric learners' mastery of the content. These Mastery Checks are points where both Facilitators and Adult Matric learners can see where gaps exist and where additional revision may be needed.

How often do Mastery Checks take place?

Mastery Checks take place at the end of each module. Each module represents 1 week’s worth of work to be completed for each subject.

Are Virtual Clubs compulsory?

Virtual Clubs do not contribute to a learner’s* overall grade and are not compulsory, but they are a lot of fun! If a learner does sign-up for a club that piques their interest, they need to ensure that they attend their Virtual Club live sessions as often as possible.

*This is not applicable to Adult Matric learner

What role does UCT (the university) faculty play in the high school?

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.

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What is the definition of a “summative assessment”? How are they different from “formative” assessments?

Summative assessments assess learners' overall understanding of the content taught during the term. These assessments usually assess a bulk of content and are more heavily weighted than formative assessments.

Do you provide any training to your Learning Facilitators before they commence their class time?

When joining UCT Online High School, all Learning Facilitators receive extensive training in digital pedagogy (the method and practice of teaching) and ongoing workshops. Using learning analytics and recorded sessions, we can provide direct coaching interventions with our Learning Facilitators to help them refine and continually improve their skills.

Will my child require any specific stationery or learning resources such as a printer and/or scanner? How often would access be required?

Please see our stationery and equipment list here.

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.