Cipla South Africa

About Cipla South Africa

Cipla South Africa is the local arm of Cipla Limited, a pharmaceutical company founded in India in 1935. Its South African business grew in a big way in 2013, when Cipla completed its takeover of Cipla Medpro. Before that deal, Cipla Medpro had been one of the country's fastest growing medicine makers, with particular strength in chronic medicines such as heart, HIV, respiratory and mental health treatments.

The company makes and distributes medicines for both the public and private health sectors. Its operations are centred on the Western Cape, with other manufacturing and distribution sites elsewhere in the country. Cipla describes its purpose with the phrase "Caring for Life" and says it wants quality medicines to be more accessible and affordable.

How Cipla supports students

Cipla South Africa runs an annual bursary programme for students in scarce and critical skills fields. These are the disciplines a pharmaceutical manufacturer and healthcare business needs. Pharmacy is one of the fields that has been named in past calls. Other qualifications have been chosen to match the company's succession planning, so the list can change from year to year.

The bursary is closely tied to the company's Graduate Skills Programme. In other words, it is built as the first step of a career path, not as a stand-alone grant. Bursars are expected to do vacation work with Cipla while they study. When they finish, Cipla-funded students are required to apply to the graduate programme.

This approach gives students real exposure to the world of work. For example, vacation placements let you see how a regulated manufacturing environment runs before you graduate.

Pharmaceutical careers cover more than dispensing. Pharmaceutical companies such as Cipla employ pharmacists, chemists, engineers, quality specialists, supply chain planners and finance staff. A bursary in a scarce skills field can therefore lead into several different roles, from the production floor to regulatory affairs. Students should look at the call to see which qualifications Cipla is funding in the current year.

What to know before applying

Applicants must study at an accredited public university or tertiary institution in South Africa. Recent calls asked for a minimum average of 70% in every year of study. Because the bursary is renewed yearly, you need to keep your marks up to keep your funding.

Cipla says it looks for motivated, curious and resilient students who are willing to learn fast and work with others. Therefore, a strong motivation letter that shows why you want a career in healthcare manufacturing can help.

The amount of funding, the list of eligible degrees and the closing date are not fixed. Check the official Cipla website for the current call before you apply, and read any agreement carefully so you understand what is expected after graduation.