Welcome to HR Website

About HR

Customer Queries

New Staff

Recruitment (PA)

Conditions of Service (JdT)

Remuneration and Benefits (JdT)

Life Events

UCT Retirement Fund

Human Resource Development (PA)


Staff Learning Centre
Staff Learning and Development Funding Policy
Performance Leadership
Academic Promotions
Scientific & Technical Promotions

Employee Relations (NL)

Policies (JdT)

HR Forms

HR Processes

News


Introduction | Staff Learning Programme | Online Course Booking Form | Course Calendar | Staff Education Bursary Scheme | Videos Available | Other UCT Centres of Learning

Staff Education Bursary Scheme (SEBS)

Eligibility | Criteria | Period | Amount | Bursary agreement | Loan repayments | Procedures |
The block-release scheme | Process flow |

1. Eligibility

This section applies to permanent, full or part-time, professional, administrative and support staff members who wish to undertake developmental learning and development to gain the necessary competencies, skills, qualifications or education needed to advance his/her career at UCT in the short to medium term, and need financial assistance to do so. The course of study is not an explicit requirement of current post and the staff member is able to attain set objectives without it.

2. Criteria

2.1. To qualify, the course of study must meet the following criteria:

  1. The course is for a sustained period of time; and


  2. The staff member must be able to attend the course in their own time; and


  3. The course must be examined or formally assessed; and


  4. The course must be done through an institution other than UCT or UWC; and


  5. The course must be done through a recognised, reputable institution; and


  6. The course is developmental and not job-related; and


  7. The course is approved by the line manager.

2.2. Successful completion and compliance with the bursary agreement conditions in the previous year is a pre-requisite for all further applications.

2.3. Where a staff member has failed or failed to complete the previous year’s studies for which a staff education bursary was granted, no further bursary will be granted for the repeat of the course. In this case, the staff member has to self fund the repeat of the course.

3. Period

In the case of courses longer than one calendar year, a separate bursary is granted for each of the calendar years of study, for the period of that calendar year only. Separate application must be made for further bursaries for subsequent years.

In the case of courses shorter than one calendar year, each bursary will cover the period of the course.

4. Amount

In the case of full-time staff, the value of each bursary will be 75% of the tuition and registration fee, up to a maximum of R 5000.

In the case of part-time staff, the value of each bursary will be reduced pro-rata depending on the contracted number of working hours.

5. Bursary agreement

In all cases, the recipient must sign a Bursary Agreement form (HR186) stating:

  1. If he/she fails to successfully complete the course of study for which the bursary was approved, the full amount of the bursary converts to a loan; or


  2. If he/she fails to successfully complete any part of the course of study for which the bursary was approved, the full amount of the cost of that part converts to a loan; or


  3. If he/she fails to provide adequate proof of successful completion of the course of study for which the bursary was approved within four months of having completed said course of study, the full amount of the bursary converts to a loan; or


  4. If he/she leaves the employ of UCT (for reasons other than retrenchment or ill-health incapacity) within a period of one (1) year after completion of the course of study for which the bursary was approved, the full amount of the bursary converts to a loan; or


  5. If he/she leaves the employ of UCT (for reasons other than retrenchment or ill-health incapacity) within a period of two (2) years after completion of the course of study for which the bursary was approved, the fifty percent (50%) of the bursary full amount converts to a loan.

6. Loan repayments

In the case of a bursary being converted into a loan, the repayment of the loan to UCT, together with interest charged at the official interest rate, will take place over a period of six (6) months.

7. Procedures

7.1. Applications

  1. Applications must be made on the Staff Education Bursary Scheme form (HR180).


  2. Applications must be made before course registration.


  3. Applications must have the support of the head of department.


  4. Applications must be sent to ‘Staff Education Bursary Scheme, Human Resources Development, Cambria House’.

7.2. Authority and approval

  1. The Executive Director, Human Resources (or nominee) has final authority on approval of applications.


  2. Upon approval, the recipient will be asked to complete and sign a Bursary Agreement form (HR186) before any payment is made.

7.3. Payments to institutions

  1. Staff are required to contract in their own right with the educational institution concerned and to pay the balance of all costs related to their course of study.


  2. Upon receipt of the completed and signed bursary agreement, a cheque will be issued to the approved institution for the recipient to deliver to the institution. No refunds to recipients will be given for personal payments already made.

7.4. Provision of proof of successful completion

The recipient must provide adequate proof of the successful completion of the course of study for which the bursary was approved within four months of having completed said course of study. Proof must be sent to ‘Staff Education Bursary Scheme, Human Resources Development, Cambria House’.

7.5. Conversion of bursary into a loan

In the case of a bursary being converted into a loan due to the recipient leaving the employ of UCT (for reasons other than retrenchment or ill-health incapacity), the payroll department will enforce the bursary agreement and convert the bursary into a loan on termination.

In all other instances of the bursary being converted into a loan, the Executive Director Human Resources (or nominee) will instruct the payroll department, on Conversion of bursary into loan form (HR187), to enforce the bursary agreement and to convert the bursary into a loan on the date of that instruction. The recipient will be informed of this instruction in writing.

8. The block-release scheme

Applicants for the staff education bursary who wish to attend a block-release class at an FET College may apply for three months of full-time study on full pay. In addition to the above, the following apply:

8.1. Criteria

The following criteria will be taken into account by the head of department when considering such an application:

  1. The applicant's work performance.


  2. His/her attendance record.


  3. The likely benefit to be derived by both the applicant and the University from the proposed course of study.


  4. The fact that no leave substitute will be available for staff members nominated for block-release.

8.2. Additional bursary agreement conditions

If the recipient leaves the employ of UCT (for reasons other than retrenchment or ill-health incapacity) within a period of three (3) months after completion of the special leave, the full amount of the salary received during the special leave converts to a loan.

8.3. Procedure

  1. The staff member must make application to his/her head of department


  2. The head of department makes a recommendation to the Executive Director: Human Resources.

  3. If approved, the recipient must arrange for the FET College to submit monthly reports on his/her attendance and progress to the Human Resources Development Department, upon which the continuation of the approval special leave will be reviewed.

8.4. Approval and authority

  1. The Executive Director, Human Resources (or nominee) has final authority on approval of applications.


  2. Where block-release is impractical or where the head of department or section considers that the applicant's performance or attendance record do not merit block-release, the staff member will be considered for financial assistance at evening classes.

Process flow

Staff Education Bursary Scheme process flow

back to top

Page last updated: 29 September 2010