DESCRIPTION / Call for Bursary Applications
REFERENCE / Get a degree with a job guarantee
JOB # / T02052
ARTICLE # / TR084
WRITER / Wendy Ames
[Heading]
Get a degree with a job guarantee. This is your chance!
[Subhead]
Apply for a Thuthuka Fund Bursary now. Applications for 2014 close on 30 April.
[Body]
You’ve heard it on the news. You’ve seen it on TV. The country desperately needs accountants in the government, the private sector and in every sphere of business. At 0,4%, accountancy has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and jobsare what count when choosing a career. Chartered Accountancy has excellent long-term prospects. You could rise to the top as the chief executive officer of a company listed on the stock exchange or lead the way to a more prosperous South Africaas a financial officer in the government. Right now, South Africa is short of approximately 5, 000 chartered accountants (CAs) SA. By 2018, an estimated 10, 000 new jobs will become availablein the financial sector,every year. Think about that! Accountancy is a rock solid proposition and if you excel at mathematics, the Thuthuka Bursary Fund (TBF) is your chance to get a university degree and become aCA(SA). Grab it!
What is the Thuthuka Bursary Fund?
The TBF is a fund that was established in 2005 by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) to fund the education and training of disadvantaged African and Coloured learners who have the ability and ambition to become chartered accountants. It is a unique fund for accounting students, covering tuition, books, meals and res fees and accommodation. Students also receive an allowanceand are mentored through their university courses and subsequent training. There are 1,000 Thuthuka students currently studying at universities round the country and the first 26 students qualified as CAs(SA) in 2012.
Do I qualify for a Thuthuka Bursary?
Thuthuka Bursaries are awarded to disadvantaged Africanand Coloured learners who show they can achieve at least a 60% pass in core mathematics and whose marks in other subjects are good enough to qualify them for university entrance.Maths literacy doesnot count. Learners must achieve a 60% pass in core mathematics to apply for a Thuthuka Bursary. They must also be South African citizens and come from families who cannot afford the cost of tertiary education. There are approximately400Thuthuka Bursaries to be awarded for the 2014 university year. If you are in Grade 11 or Grade 12 and qualify as above, don’t miss this chance. Apply today. Applications close on 30 April 2013.
How do I apply for a Thuthuka Bursary?
You can apply for a Thuthuka Bursary by writing to: Thuthuka Bursary Fund, PO Box 59875, KENGRAY, 2100. Please include your name, your address, the name of your high school, your final Grade 11 results (if applicable), your final Grade 12 results (if completed), copies of ID documents of persons dependent on your family’s income and a stamped letter from your school confirming your registration, the subjects you are studying and the results you have achieved.
On a separate sheet of paper, in your own hand writing, please answer the following:
What is your motivation for wanting to become a chartered accountant?
Why do you think you should be awarded a bursary?
Write a short essay about yourself, your family and your future career plans.
Alternatively you can download the 2014 Thuthuka Bursary Fund application form at , complete it and post it to the address above or email it to or . You can also request an application form by calling 086 1072 422. If you have any questions please phone Nthato Selebi on (011) 621 6600 or email himat
What will happen after I’ve applied?
1) If you meet the criteria, you will be asked to apply to 2 of the8TBFapproved universities round the country.
2) Various selection, screening and assessment processes will follow.
3) The TBF teams at the universities will identify possible candidates.
4) Following the release of Grade 12 matric results, the successful candidates will be
contracted and admitted to university as Thuthuka Bursary Fund students.
It takes seven years to qualify as a chartered accountant. This includesfouryears at universityto study for a degree(BCom Accounting or equivalent) and the post graduate Certificate in the Theory of Accounting. This is followed by a 3 year learnership at a Registered Training Office. The course is tough but the rewards are extraordinary. The harder you work, the better your grades will be. Only those who show that they can achieve 60% in core mathematics and a university entrance matric pass will qualify. You still have time to ensure that you can make the grade, but you must apply now to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to change the course of your life. Applications for the 2014 academic year close on 30 April 2013. What are you waiting for?
[End]
Note for media
TBF students are drawn from the very poorest areas. They have all overcome overwhelming odds in terms of background and schooling to be accepted by the TBF for the seven- year degree course and subsequent learnerships required to become chartered accountants. They have inspirational stories to tell, many of which have been written and can be obtained (with photograph) from . The 26 TBF graduates have qualified in a field that has long been the preserve of the more privileged. They are employed in accounting firms round the country and are available for interviews which can be arranged through . They are spearheading the transformation of the accounting profession and are set to play a leading role in South Africa’s economic future. With the high rate of unemployment and current educational challenges, published or recorded interviews with these young professionals will provide much needed inspiration for the youth and their educators. Angles of interest could also include the effect their success has had on their families and their day to day experiences now. Their progress up the ladder might provide material for interesting follow-up articles.
Distributed by TerraNova Strategic PR
ContactStella Carter
Telephone011 463 5713
E-Mail
Word Count788