The application for students to apply for the FirstRand International Postgraduate Scholarships is currently open for eligible students.
The management of the FirstRand International Postgraduate Scholarships is calling on all eligible postgraduate students in South Africa.
The FirstRand Limited was established in 1998 to function as a financial services provider whose function is to lend, invest, asset management, insurance and transactional services. The company is licensed by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and has more than 40,000 staff members.
The management of this bursary is providing funding for postgraduate students to provide support for their education.
FIRSTRAND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMMES – FIELDS COVERED
FirstRand offers 5 different scholarship awards:
1) FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship: This is open to all postgraduate students in ANY field of study, at ANY international university.
2) FirstRand Foundation Scholarship: Open to students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, for postgraduate studies in ANY field of study, at ANY international university.
3) FirstRand Oxford African Studies scholarship at the University of Oxford: is for a postgraduate MSc in African Studies, at the University of Oxford.
4) FirstRand FNB Fund Scholarship for international Masters study in Education at the University of Oxford: is for a postgraduate masters degree in education, at the University of Oxford.
5) FirstRand FNB Fund Postgraduate Education Scholarship: is for a postgraduate qualification in education, at ANY international university.
FIRSTRAND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMMES – COVERAGE VALUE
Below is the value of each FirstRand International Postgraduate Scholarships:
- FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship: Scholarship value is R925 000.
- FirstRand Foundation Scholarship: Scholarship value is R925 000.
- FirstRand Oxford African Studies scholarship at the University of Oxford: Recipient will receive full funding for 1 year of study and housing at Wadham College.
- FirstRand FNB Fund Scholarship for international Masters study in Education at the University of Oxford: Recipient will receive full funding for 1 year of study and housing at Wadham College.
- FirstRand FNB Fund Postgraduate Education Scholarship: Recipient will receive R925 000.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Applicants of this scholarship will be selected using the following criteria:
- On receipt of your application, you will receive a confirmation email
- The assessment of applicants will be based on a minimum of three primary evaluators from FirstRand, FNB, RMB, and previous scholarship recipients
- 40 candidates will be shortlisted by the bursary and they will be invited for an interview in Cape Town, Sandton or online via Microsoft Teams.
- Another 10 candidates will be selected for the FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship, FirstRand Foundation Scholarship and FirstRand Oxford African Studies scholarship. The final interview will be done on 10 May 2022 in Sandton.
- 4 candidates will be shortlisted for the Education scholarships and will be interviewed on 17 May 2022 in Sandton.
- Final announcements will be made no later than 31 May 2022.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRSTRAND SCHOLARSHIPS
Below are the eligibility requirements for the FirstRand Scholarship Programme. Each scholarship has its own criteria which will be discussed below:
1) FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship:
- Applicant must be a South African citizen
- Intend to study towards a postgraduate qualification, in ANY field of study
- Ready to study outside South Africa at an international university
- Not currently or previously studied overseas
- Be ready to return to South Africa for a minimum of 5 years after completing your qualification
- Must have an excellent academic record
- Must demonstrate the following qualities: leadership skills; strong character; community involvement; and potential to be a destiny changer in your chosen field
- Preference will be given to students under 35 years old
2) FirstRand Foundation Scholarship:
- Applicant must be a South African citizen
- Intend to study towards a postgraduate qualification, in ANY field of study
- Ready to study outside South Africa at an international university
- Not currently or previously studied overseas
- Be ready to return to South Africa for a minimum of 5 years after completing your qualification
- Must have an excellent academic record
- Must demonstrate the following qualities: leadership skills; strong character; community involvement; and potential to be a destiny changer in your chosen field
- Preference will be given to students under 35 years old
3) FirstRand Oxford African Studies scholarship at the University of Oxford:
- Applicant must be a South African citizen
- You must have been accepted to study towards an MSc in African Studies at the University of Oxford (see more here: http://www.africanstudies.ox.ac.uk/msc-african-studies)
- Excellent academic record
- You must demonstrate the following qualities: leadership skills; community involvement; and potential to be a destiny changer in your chosen field
- It is mandatory for applicants to contribute to South Africa after completing studies and returning to the country
4) FirstRand FNB Fund Scholarship for international Masters study in Education at the University of Oxford:
- You must be a South African citizen
- You must have been accepted to study towards a full-time Masters degree in Education at the University of Oxford (see more here: https://www.education.ox.ac.uk/programmes/msc-education/)
- Excellent academic record
- You must demonstrate the following qualities: leadership skills; community involvement; and potential to be a destiny changer in your chosen field
- It is mandatory for applicants to contribute to South Africa after completing studies and returning to the country
5) FirstRand FNB Fund Postgraduate Education Scholarship:
- Applicant must be a South African citizen
- Intend to study towards a postgraduate qualification, in ANY field of study
- Ready to study outside South Africa at an international university
- Not currently or previously studied overseas
- Be ready to return to South Africa for a minimum of 5 years after completing your qualification
- Must have an excellent academic record
- Must demonstrate the following qualities: leadership skills; strong character; community involvement; and potential to be a destiny changer in your chosen field
- Preference will be given to students under 35 years old
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE FIRSTRAND SCHOLARSHIP
The application for the Firstrand Scholarship Programme is online using this application link. Before you apply for this scholarship, you will have to register an account first and then log in to start your application.
You are to submit the following supporting documents together with your application form. It is compulsory to submit all the supporting documents for your application to be considered. Submit the original copy of:
- SA ID document
- Photo of face
- Your Matric results
- Submit 2 references from people whom you have worked within an academic setting or in another area of interest.
- A personal statement explaining why you deserve to be awarded this scholarship (maximum 1 000 words)
You are to submit the reference letter to [email protected]Â clearly marked with your name.
CLOSING DATE FOR THE FIRSTRAND SCHOLARSHIP
The closing date for the Firstrand Scholarship Programme is 3 March 2022. All applications must be submitted on or before the closing date.
CONTACT THE SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDER
For any questions or queries you can contact Firstrand directly on:
Contact Person: Beth van Heerden
Email: [email protected]
If you are studying at the University of Oxford you can email your queries to: [email protected] / [email protected]
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