About the Cisco Charitable Foundation Trust
The Cisco Charitable Foundation Trust is the South African charitable arm of Cisco, the global networking and IT company. The Trust started its bursary programme in 2021. Its goal is to widen access to IT education for South African students who struggle to pay their fees.
Cisco is known for the network equipment that powers the internet, so digital skills sit at the heart of its work. Through the Trust, it backs students who will build, secure and run technology in the country. The bursary is managed for the Trust by StudyTrust, a bursary administrator.
Why does this matter? South Africa has a long-standing shortage of skilled IT professionals, and many capable students delay or drop their studies because of money. By targeting the missing middle, the Trust aims to keep such students in their degrees until they graduate. Keep your marks up once you receive funding. Administrators usually review results each year, so ask StudyTrust how your progress will be checked.
How the Cisco bursary supports students
This bursary is aimed at the so-called missing middle. These are families that earn too much to qualify for government aid, yet too little to pay university costs with ease. The Trust sets the combined family income band at R350,000 to R600,000 a year.
The programme supports students in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering and Information Technology. It is open to first-year to fourth-year students, and this includes BTech and Honours programmes. You may study at a public or private institution, as long as it is registered with the Department of Education.
The bursary does not carry a work-back obligation in the information published by StudyTrust. That makes it different from many company awards, which tie students to an employer. Even so, read your award letter to confirm every condition. Applicants may also be considered for other StudyTrust-managed bursaries that fit their profile.
What to know before applying
You must be a South African citizen and show good academic results. You must also show financial need that falls inside the income band. Preference is given to equity candidates.
Applications go through the StudyTrust online platform. Prepare a certified copy of your ID, your Grade 12 certificate and tertiary transcripts, and proof of your household income. Missing documents can delay a decision, so scan them early.
The programme normally opens in June and closes at the end of September each year. However, dates and fields can change, so check the StudyTrust page for the current call. A clear motivation, together with accurate income evidence, will help your application stand out among many strong candidates in the IT field.
Details
- Type