• A bursary is a grant or financial assistance given to a student for study in a specific field. Bursaries may differ in the amounts of money and duration period.
• Financial assistance in the form of a bursary is given to students selected according to various criteria set by donors.
• Bursaries are granted on the basis of financial need and academic merit. Sometimes they carry conditions of employment.
• Most bursaries are offered directly by private companies to students, and all applications are handled directly by these companies.
• If you apply for financial aid at this university, and you meet the criteria for a bursary offered through Walter Sisulu University, you will be shortlisted for this bursary, and either the university or the bursary funder will make the final decision on your eligibility.
• For more information on bursaries offered to students at WSU, you can contact the Bursary Officers at the Mthatha and Butterworth campuses.
• There are many resources for students on the internet to look for bursaries that are available.
• Each of these bursaries has different closing dates, but the best advice is to find out and apply as early as possible.
• It is your responsibility as the student to research the available bursaries, make sure you meet the criteria, and apply for these bursaries.
• The Bursaries Officers at the university can certainly assist you with this process, but it is your responsibility to apply for the bursaries that best match your requirements.
• WSU’s Financial Aid Bureau administers bursaries and loans from various government departments, the private sector and international donors. Contact the numbers below for further details.

Loans

• A loan is a sum of money lent to a student for the purpose of study, usually from a private commercial bank or financial services provider.
• A loan is usually repayable on completion of study.
• If the applicant is under 21, a parent or a guardian stands surety, unless the student is offered a loan from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (applications for these loans are made to the university financial aid office).
• This type of financial assistance is awarded to a student according to the level of his/her needs, taking into account the financial circumstances of the family.