Globeleq Scholarship

About Globeleq

Globeleq is an independent power producer. It develops, builds, owns and runs power plants across Africa, with a mix of wind, solar and thermal projects. Its South African office is in Claremont, Cape Town. Locally, the company's projects are managed through Globeleq South Africa Management Services (GSAMS). GSAMS looks after a group of renewable energy plants that sell electricity to the national grid under long-term power purchase agreements.

Many of these plants stand in rural parts of the Eastern, Northern and Western Cape. Consequently, the people who live nearby are the company's closest neighbours. The scholarship fund is one of the ways Globeleq invests in them.

How the Globeleq Scholarship Fund works

The Globeleq Scholarship Fund (GSF) started in 2014. It is paid for by the independent power producers that GSAMS manages, together with the Globeleq Educational Trust. Reported totals of money awarded differ between sources and keep growing, so treat any single figure with care and check the latest numbers on the Globeleq website.

The fund has several streams, and each has its own rules. One stream is for engineering students, and it has supported mechanical, electrical and mechatronic studies. Awards of this kind have covered both college and university qualifications, from N3 to N6 through to national diplomas, BTech, BEng and BSc degrees. Another stream is for students from the Eastern and Northern Cape who study agriculture, education or nursing. A third group of awards is for learners who live within about 50 kilometres of certain Globeleq wind and solar farms. These community awards are open to any field of study.

Funding has covered registration and course fees, accommodation and meals, books and other learning materials. Some years have also included living expenses, tutoring and mentoring. Students therefore receive more than a tuition payment alone.

What to know before applying

Start by working out which stream fits you. Your home area and your field of study decide where you belong. You apply through the online portal, and you must complete the form that matches your stream. Closing dates are set each year, so check the official page well ahead of time.

Work-back rules matter here. Globeleq states that engineering scholars sign a work-back agreement. In that agreement, the student commits to work for Globeleq or a related company for a period after graduating. The community and general streams are presented as scholarships rather than tied bursaries. However, the exact length of any obligation is not confirmed in public sources, so read your contract closely.

Good applications are neat and complete. Include certified copies of your ID, your latest results and proof of where you live, because location counts for the community awards. In addition, give honest information about your family's income, since financial need is part of the selection. If you are unsure about a stream, contact the GSF team through the official site before you apply.