Durban — There’s a life-changing opportunity for entrepreneurial Grade 12 pupils who want to go to university but might have cash flow problems.
The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation’s Fellowship Programme this week made a call to aspiring entrepreneurs across the country to apply for a bursary and pave the way towards a tertiary education.
“The programme is open to individuals who have big entrepreneurial aspirations and who want to make a big impact not just in their lives, but also in their community, city and country.”
The foundation said fellowships played a critical role in equipping the youth with the necessary tools for success in the midst of challenges posed by soaring unemployment rates.
It wants promising matrics who demonstrate academic excellence and entrepreneurial aptitude to submit their applications to the programme before April 30.
Apart from a university education, it said students would also be aided through entrepreneurial mindset development interventions, as well as personal and academic development support. Fellowship recipients would receive needs-based funding for university based on an annual household income threshold funding model.
“Applicants with a combined annual household income of R1 million and below will receive full funding, whereas applicants with a combined household income of above R1m will receive needs-based funding,” the foundation said in a statement.
Candidate fellows would be assigned to a personal development officer, entrepreneurial leadership officer and a respected industry mentor to help them transition into a new academic environment, flex their entrepreneurial muscles, and help deepen their understanding of entrepreneurial traits and concepts in the working world.
Applicants must meet a set of requirements to qualify.
They must have achieved a minimum of 60% in pure maths or a minimum of 80% in maths literacy in their final Grade 11 results.
Applicants must also have a minimum average of 70% for final Grade 11 results (excluding life orientation).
In addition, they must plan to study towards a university degree in commerce, science, engineering, humanities, arts or health science (excluding medicine, veterinary science and dentistry).
The fellowship is open to South African citizens under the age of 21 in the year they apply.
The application can be downloaded or completed online at www.allangrayorbis.org
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