Thuthuka Bursary Applications Open 2024

The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) is constantly working to fix the member demographics of the chartered accountancy profession to be reflective of those of the country. One of the ways in which it does this is through the Thuthuka Bursary.

The criteria to apply for a Thuthuka bursary is qualify for the Thuthuka bursary, you must:

• be a South African citizen;
• be black African or Coloured;
• be either in Grade 12, out of school (with Matric) for no more than two years or a university student currently studying a CA-stream BCom degree;
• have obtained at least 60% (5 or above on the NSC scale of achievement) in Mathematics in Grade 11 or Matric (Maths Literacy and Technical Maths learners are NOT considered);
• have applied to or are currently studying a BCom Accounting (CA stream) degree at a Thuthuka partner university. The full list of universities offering the Thuthuka programme can be found on SAICA’s website;
• come from a family that has a combined income of R350 000 per annum or less; and
• write and pass the National Benchmark Test (NBT).

How To Apply

1. Go to https://www.thuthukabursaryfund.co.za/
2. Read the details then tick ‘Please confirm you have read the above’
3. Click on ‘Apply’
4. Fill in the required fields
5. Submit the following documents
   • Signed consent form (download it here)
   • Applicant’s ID
   • Parent(s)’/Guardian(s)’ ID
   • Parent(s)’/Guardian(s)’ salary slip
   • Copies of ID documents of persons dependent on family income
   • Final Grade 11 results
   • Final Grade 12 results (if completed Grade 12)
   • Full university transcript (if already at University)
   • University provisional acceptance letter (if you are still in high school).

• Your application remains incomplete if:
  • The consent form is not signed or
  • All required documents are not uploaded.

Your application is not submitted until you press “SUBMIT”

A bursary like none other, Thuthuka covers the following as a basic:  tuition, books, meals, residence fees and accommodation for the full years of study where a student continues to pass their degree within the requisite time period. Moreover, the programme follows an integrated and holistic approach to ensure success, by providing students with ‘wrap around’ support in the form of, among others:

• academic support, including various academic enrichment programmes such as additional tutorials, study skills workshops and more
• social and emotional support
• work-readiness and life skills training
• mentoring and counselling and
• access to dedicated programme manager exposure to experienced chartered accountants and business leaders as mentors

This model makes Thuthuka students more successful than their counterparts. It is also this approach that makes Thuthuka students ready to face the challenges of the workplace.

The success of the bursary can be seen in the stories of the lives its changed

Thuthuka beneficiary, Kim Christian (CA[SA]), who is now a financial manager working at a mining company speaks about what the Bursary did for her: “Thuthuka supported me greatly as a student. As a student you sometimes feel like you are a tiny fish thrown into the big ocean, but with Thuthuka it feels like you have a family that has your back and wants you to be successful – you in turn want to make yourself and your family proud. The financial support changed my life. As a student, knowing that I did not have to worry about tuition fees gave me room to focus on being the best student I could be. This coupled with the academic and social support that Thuthuka offers, is honestly what carried me through my four years at the University of Cape Town until graduation in 2014.”

Another beneficiary, Sherwin Thomas (CA[SA]), who is now a financial manger working in auditing, shares a similar story: “Getting funded by Thuthuka gave me a stress-free studying environment because Thuthuka covered my books and fees. It helped me focus on my studies, and not having to worry about the source of funding my journey to becoming a chartered accountant.

These are not the only people who can attest to the hat Thuthuka has brought into their lives. To date, Thuthuka has supported over 4 000 African and Coloured students of which:

• Over 1 500 Thuthuka recipients have qualified and registered as CAs(SA) – an incredible achievement, considering that it takes a minimum of seven years to qualify as a CA(SA); and
• 2 000 more are currently completing various stages of the CA(SA) qualification process.