About Aurora Wind Power
Aurora Wind Power is a renewable energy project on the West Coast of the Western Cape. It has a capacity of 94 MW and uses 47 Vestas turbines of 2 MW each. The plant was built under the second bid window of South Africa's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme. It began producing power in 2015 and sells electricity to Eskom under a 20-year agreement.
Wind farms of this kind sit in rural areas, often far from major cities. As a result, the communities nearby feel both the benefits and the disruption of a large project.
How Aurora Wind Power supports students
All REIPPP-licensed projects must direct a share of their revenue into socio-economic development around their sites. The Aurora bursary fund is the main channel for that duty. For this reason, eligibility depends on where you live and learn on the West Coast, not on a particular field of study. You can pursue any three- or four-year degree programme.
The programme is for Grade 12 learners who are South African citizens and who attend designated West Coast schools. Selection rests on your Grade 12 results and on financial need. Total household income must not exceed R350,000. You must study at a public institution. The bursary does not fund private institutions.
Funding covers tuition, registration and examination fees, residence accommodation, meals and learning materials such as textbooks and stationery. There is no employment work-back requirement. The bursary works as community reinvestment, not as a recruitment pipeline, so you can build your career wherever you like.
What to know before applying
StudyTrust, an education non-profit, administers the programme. You apply online on its platform and send supporting documents to the address given there. Read the general application instructions first, because incomplete applications are not considered.
The application season runs from 1 June to 30 September, according to the StudyTrust page. However, dates and school lists can change, so check before you start. The published page does not name the designated schools. Ask your school or StudyTrust whether yours qualifies.
Gather proof of household income, your latest results and a certified ID early. Learners who plan ahead usually submit stronger applications. Apply well before the deadline, in case of technical problems.
Companies in the REIPPP programme earn part of their bid score from economic development, including spending on communities near the site. That is why a wind farm funds education. The West Coast is a wide region with many small towns, so check the school list carefully. The plant also helps offset an estimated 5.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over its 20-year power agreement, which links the bursary to the area's wider benefit.
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