NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund 2018 for Young South Africans (Fully Funded)

Application Deadline: 16 January 2018

In its quest to address the challenge of youth unemployment, access to education and shortage of scarce skills, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is offering the scholarship to youth under 35 years of age to give them an opportunity to study at public universities or university of technologies across South Africa.

To support this new strategic focus, the NYDA established the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund (SMSF). The R20-million fund seeks to avail financial support to youth to enable them to pursue quality education in an institution of higher learning with youth in rural areas as primary target.

The scholarship fund was established in honour of Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu who at the age of 23, was executed under the apartheid laws after being wrongfully accused of murder and terrorism. Fearing crowd reaction at the funeral, police decided to bury Mahlangu in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.

The scholarship fund is designed to create an environment for affording youth with excellent academic background, an opportunity to further their studies. Financial support will be provided to youth who pursue full time degrees that fall within the priority growth sectors, critical and scarce skills areas outlined in the labor planning frameworks of the country.

Objectives of The Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund:

To provide financial support to youth in the form of scholarships to increase their chances of accessing quality higher education in their field of study
To increase chances of employability or entrepreneurship based on the positive correlation between level of education and employability
Empower the youth (under 35 years) with education to enable them to compete favourably in the labour market.
Contribute to the development of critical and scarce skills

Eligibility Criteria

- - - Students must be applying for admission to one of the public universities as a 1st year full-time student in a priority study (see below).
    - High school learners who plan to attend one of the public universities or universities of technology after completing the National Senior Certificate
    - Must meet University Admission Points Score (APS) and achieve an average of 70% in the NSC exams
    - Must be South African citizens under 35
    - Financial neediness – combined household income of less than R15 000 a month
    - Reside in rural/semi-rural areas/townships

Priority of Study

Full-time degrees that fall within the priority growth sectors, critical and scarce skills areas outlined in the labour planning framework of the country.

Benefits:

The following costs are covered by the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship:

Tuition
Accommodation (thresholds apply)
Meals
Study Books/equipment (thresholds apply)

Application Procedure:

Applications for the 2018 academic year will open on the 18th September 2017.

Closing dates

Postal/email applications: 15 December 2017

Online applications: 16 January 2018

You can apply with your Grade 11/ Grade 12 mid-year results but certified copy of matric certificate has to be received before the 16th January 2018, for both online and postal/email applications.

PLEASE NOTE: Application does not automatically mean acceptance; a commitee will make the selection of students to be covered by the scholarship programme.

Timeline:

Applications (online and manual) for the 2018 academic year will open from the 18th September 2017 and close on the 15th December 2017 (for postal/email applications) and the 16th January 2018 for online applications.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund 2018