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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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Days
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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

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This is a question about fees

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This is a question about fees

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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 can I speak with if I would like some more information?

Speak to our friendly Admissions Consultants – they love answering questions. admissions@uctohs.valentureonline.com.

Please click here to request a call.

As a guardian, what is expected of me with regards to educating my child? How is this different from a traditional homeschooling parent?

Parents are integral in the educational journey of their children, whether it be in a brick-and-mortar school, online school or homeschooling context. Parental guidance, interest, support and motivation is critical to ensuring that a child develops holistically.

There is, however, a big difference between homeschooling and UCT Online High School. In the homeschooling context, the parent is expected to be the curriculum and content creator, as well as the teacher and assessor. Whereas in an online school environment, learners are provided with all the learning materials they require and a learning path to guide their progression. They have access to Learning Facilitators, and Support Coaches who will monitor their progress and help them achieve their academic goals.

All that’s left for you to do is keep encouraging them.

How often do Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions take place?

Ask Me Anything sessions will be available to all high school learners. They are live-stream sessions that happen weekly with pre-curated questions.

What type of support is available to my child?

Support is directly offered by Support Coaches, School Counsellors and our highly responsive Technical Support Team who are available to assist and support learners throughout their entire high school career.


Our team is constantly monitoring their progress proactively, reaching out to them where required.

Do you have any traditional extracurricular activities?

Yes, we do. Please see our extracurriculars page. Please note, this is only for high school learners in South Africa.

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.

Do we partner with tutoring centres or anything of that nature?

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.

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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