No data needed when applying for this year’s GCRA bursary

The Gauteng Department of Education has announced that Gauteng City Region Academy (GCRA) bursary applications for 2023 opened on November 1 and will close on February 28.

It is important to note that candidates who seek to apply, must be South African citizens between the ages of 18 to 35, who reside and have completed their matric in Gauteng. Candidates must also be students who have been accepted to study an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification at a higher education institution.

Key requirements when applying for the GCRA bursary are:

• Certified South African ID copy

• Proof of Gauteng residence (water and electricity bill from the municipality or a letter from the ward councillor)

• Certified statement of results

• Academic record (only for current undergraduates in the second year, third year, etc. and postgraduate students)

• Certified copies of parents/guardians’ identity documents (death certificate in case of deceased parent/s)

• For single-parent households, please provide an affidavit done by the responsible parent/guardian

• Certified proof of both parents/guardians’ payslips (if unemployed, provide affidavit proving unemployment or SASSA letter)

• Motivational letter written by the applicant

• Proof of acceptance/registration from a higher education institution

• Disability/medical report if applicable

All documents must be certified (not older than three months) and be uploaded in PDF format.

To apply, candidates must register online with a valid email address, which will be used as a username.

Once registered, candidates will be required to choose from three different bursary types:

• Top achiever

• Top three non-fee paying schools

• LSEN

If candidates do not fall under any of these categories, they must choose between the following two categories:

• Financial assistance

• Renewals/reinstatement (only regarded as a renewal if a candidate is continuing with their undergraduate qualification, Master’s or PhD)

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said, “We are excited to announce that this year’s GCRA bursary application system will be zero-rated, meaning no data will be required for applicants to access and navigate through the system.

“Applicants must ensure that they meet the key requirements and upload all the necessary documents for their application to be considered. We implore young people who meet the criteria to apply for the GCRA bursary as it is an amazing opportunity to further your studies without having to worry about finances.”