FOR the past 11 years the Athlone Institute Trust (AIT) in Paarl has been granting bursaries and bursary loans to students who are permanent residents of Paarl and Mbekweni.
By the end of this year the AIT, via the Athlone Institute Bursary Project Fund (AIBPROF), will have paid out bursaries and bursary loans at various tertiary institutions in South Africa, to 950 students, totalling R2,9 million.
A milestone was reached this year when the AIBROF entered into a partnership with the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust (WEFT) to award two bursaries to postgraduate students.
WEFT is a philanthropic organisation with a national footprint. The scholarships they offer are for disadvantaged persons who are encouraged to volunteer their services to community based projects or do job shadowing with prospective employers.
Besides offering scholarships they have assisted numerous homes for the aged and sport organisations.
Undergraduate and post-graduate students who are registered at tertiary institutions which have been accredited by the Council on Higher Education, will be considered for a bursary or bursary loan.
A maximum of 20 bursary loans will be made available to first year students with strong motivation for financial need, who have obtained a minimum aggregate of 950 in the final matriculation examination.
Students in their second and subsequent years of study at tertiary institutions will be considered for bursaries based on academic merit and/or financial need of the applicant.
) First year students who matriculated at Klein Nederburg Senior Secondary School, Paarl, who register for a qualification in AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University (US) may also apply for the Erna Witbooi Bursary which must be utilised to pay all expenses for handbooks for the first year of study.
In addition, Ms Witbooi, an ex-student of Klein Nederburg Senior Secondary, Masters Graduate from the US, junior lecturer at US, currently studying for her Doctorate and doing research in AgriSciences in South Africa and Europe, offers a one year mentorship to the student who qualifies for this bursary.
Applications for the Erna Witbooi Bursary must be made on a separate application form, which will be supplied on request, by phoning the Vice Chairperson, Harwin Smith on 021-862-6767.
) An applicant who qualifies for either a Bursary or Bursary Loan must be a local resident enrolled for full-time undergraduate or postgraduate studies for the 2011 academic year, at a tertiary institution which has been registered with The Council on Higher Education;must have been promoted after the last year of study, show potential to study successfully; produce proof of current degree (for postgraduate studies)and be willing to be involved in some form of community service in the Paarl/Mbekweni area under the supervision of the Athlone Institute Bursary Project Fund.
Although they have applied for a bursary/bursary loan with the Athlone Institute Bursary Project Fund, students must pay their registration fees at the institution where they are going to study, at the beginning of the academic year, out of their own resources.
Application forms are available at local churches, or from the Rev Simon James, 50 Poole Road, Van Wyk’s Vlei, Wellington (021-873-4794) or the Vice Chairperson, Harwin Smith, at 021-862-6767 (office hours) until 19 February
