As well as receiving loans to help cover tuition fees and living costs, you may also be eligible to receive the financial support you don’t have to pay back. Hence, taking bursaries is one way in which you can continue your education at a higher level without having to worry about money. And, GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy is one alternative that offers generous, helpful bursaries for students.
In particular, a bursary is a non-repayable sum of money that universities can award to students to incentivise and support their studies. Usually, it is non-competitive, automatic, and based on financial need. Furthermore, the bursary may also be described as ‘awards’. In fact, it does not have to be repaid. Thus, it makes bursary really helpful for students who might otherwise not be able to afford to study.
However, searching for bursaries can be a hard job. Luckily, it might no longer be a matter of concern thanks to the GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy. In short, this is a portal that the Gauteng City Region Academy publishes especially for Gauteng’s bright students. For more details, you can read the information below.
GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy: An Overview
As quoted on its official website, the GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy is responsible for building a pool of skilled, capable and ethical workforce for the city. In particular, GCRA aims to achieve its goals through organising bursaries, internships, learnerships, skills programs, etc.
About GCRA Bursary Programme
The GCRA bursary programme is open to all qualifying youth, with particular preference given to youth from Gauteng. Specifically, it is available for the students who wish to study for an undergraduate and/or post-graduate programme at an accredited and registered Post School Education and Training institution in South Africa. Besides, the bursary covers the full cost of study, with conditions, as stipulated in the bursary contract.
Particularly, the Top 3 Grade 12 learners from all No-Fee paying, SSIP, and LSEN government schools in Gauteng will be eligible for a bursary to study at a recognised Higher Education Institution (HEI) or a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College.
Programme Benefits
Consequently, you will receive the following benefits if you are successful:
- Tuition as prescribed by the Higher Education and Training Institution excluding (clubs, gym-related fees)
- Residence Fees – Catering residences capped at R65 000 or as decided by the Bursary Committee
- Off-Campus and Private Accommodation capped at R47 000 or as decided by the Bursary Committee
- Laptop and Books – proof of purchase required, e.g. receipts to be submitted to GCRA
- Living Allowance for students staying in Self-Catering and Off-campus residences will be paid directly into students’ accounts or through institutions where there are Service Level Agreements
Yet, for Post-Graduate applicants, you can refer to the Contract Addendum for further Terms and Conditions and funding covered.
Eligibility Requirements
Applications for the GCRA bursary programme are open for students who completed matric and reside in Gauteng, students intending to study an undergraduate programme and have been accepted at an accredited PSET institution of learning and/or is currently registered for such, and students who want to pursue Post-Graduate studies and have been accepted at an accredited institution of higher learning.
And, although the following students also automatically qualify, they must also complete the application form online. They are Top Achievers from Gauteng Schools, Top learner from no-fee paying schools in Gauteng, and Top 3 learner from LSEN schools in Gauteng.
All in all, to qualify for a GCRA bursary award you must be:
- A South African Citizen
- Youth residing in Gauteng between the age of 18 and 35
Plus, you will need to prepare the following necessary documents in advance.
- Certified copy of South African ID (by birth)
- Proof of Gauteng residence
- Matric Certificate and or latest academic results(certified)
- Proof of income from the parent(s) or guardian(s) or affidavit
- Letter of Motivation (not more than 2 pages)
- Proof of registration or acceptance letter from PSET institution
- Disability or medical report (where applicable)
How to Apply
Visit the GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy (where you can find the address at the end of this guideline). On the main page of the GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy, click on the ‘Apply/Register’ button to start your application. At first, you can read a quick guide on the whole application process. Once you understand it, click ‘Next’ to continue.
In a new message board that appears, you’ll notice that there are two steps involved in setting up an account. First, you must provide complete personal information. Second, you must fill in an application form to apply for the GCRA bursary programme. Next, click ‘Go to Registration’. On the new page, complete your details and create a password then click ‘Create’. Then, the system will display a success message then you will receive an SMS confirming registration. Click ‘Ok’ to proceed.
Now that you have your account, you can log in to complete the rest of the registration. After successfully logging in, complete your profile starting with personal details. Next, proceed by providing address details, high school, Matric, and next of kin then click ‘Submit’. Once complete, the system will display a success message with a button to continue with your application.
First of all, you must complete the qualification details. Here, it is important to know which type of bursary you should take. In fact, the GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy provides ten types of bursaries to choose from. Therefore, you can choose one of them below (according to your needs):
- New Intake – if you applying to GCRA for the first time
- Renewal – if you were funded by GCRA in the previous year
- Reinstatement – if your bursary was suspended and you have met the conditions to have it reinstated
- Top Achievers – If you are a top Achiever in Gauteng Province
- Financial Assistance – If you have finance, but require assistance
- Top 3 in LSEN Schools
- MEC/HOD Discretion – If the MEC/HOD has told you to apply for a bursary
- Top 3 Achiever in a no fee-paying school
- Veteran Discretion – If you are a child of a Military Veteran
- Top Ups – if you have an existing bursary and need additional funds to Top Up
If you do not have another sponsor, select ‘No’ and click ‘Save’. However, if you have another sponsor, select ‘Yes’ and capture the funding information and click ‘Save’.
Next, upload all the necessary documents. However, remember to only upload documents in .PDF format not to exceed 2MB.
As the last step, you can select ‘Accept’ if you agree with the terms and conditions. Afterwards, the system will display a success message and you will receive an SMS that your application has been received. Then, click ‘Ok’ to proceed. Nevertheless, you can also select ‘Decline’ to cancel the application if you disagree with the terms and conditions.
Closing Dates
Although the GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy does not publicly announce when registration closes, you should not delay applying. However, you will need to wait three to four weeks after submitting your form until you can hear their latest information. The application goes through various internal processes, but outcomes should be communicated within three to four weeks.
Contact Details
Do you have any questions regarding this programme, or did you find any technical difficulties when applying? You can contact the parties concerned at:
Gauteng City Region Academy Office
17 Simmonds Street
Marshaltown
Johannesburg
2000
Tel.: 0800 000 789 / 011 355 0000
Email: gdeinfo@gauteng.gov.za
Official Website
Visit the GCRA Bursaries Portal by Gauteng City Region Academy at gcrabursary.gauteng.gov.za for the latest information on the GCRA bursary programme.