27 March 2009
	STUDY FUNDING Applying bursary basics By Garreth Bloor Being prepared is the best bet for those who need to access bursary funding to further their tertiary education. FM Campus asks the experts for other top tips on putting together an A-grade application

Applying for a bursary can be a gruelling and competitive experience. And in tough financial times it's likely to be even more so, as more students seek financial assistance to get them through their studies. FM Campus asks the experts what it takes to put together a bursary application that will get your foot in the corporate door. "You need to remember what, precisely, a bursary is by its very nature," says Cathy Sims, founder and national coordinator of the SA Graduate Recruitment Association. "It is, first and foremost, a form of early employment offer and that distinguishes it from a scholarship. Companies look for returns, most frequently in the form of employing your skills in the future. "Students drastically underestimate what is needed in the application process, perhaps failing to see the process as one that parallels applying for actual employment incredibly closely." Sims believes that it is a failure to grasp this reality that means students' applications fall short: they don't prepare as they would for a real job application. Apply in good time It's important to give yourself enough time to put your application together. Most companies' bursary applications close at roughly the same time of year, so be prepared in advance rather than rushing to get an application in on time. Because students often underestimate how long it takes to put an application together, they often miss some of the opportunities on offer. "Due to time constraints, we see students who apply for two of five potential bursaries, when any of the remaining three may have been perfect," says Sims. Rushing is one of a number of pitfalls in the bursary application process, says Marquard Timmey, a senior career orientation counsellor at Stellenbosch University. "Leaving the application too late really brings its fair share of problems, which include common mistakes, like failing to proof read. To have a good application with spelling errors really undervalues you as an aspiring young professional and what it is that you have to offer." Be prepared Even for those who pride themselves on being clued up to what's on offer, it is not uncommon for a bursary opportunity to present itself at the very last minute. To avoid putting together an application that looks like a rushed job, Sims suggests that you keep an updated CV and academic transcript on hand at all times. "Always have your academic transcript as a PDF [Adobe's portable document format] that you can send to a company," says Sims. "Even if they don't request it initially, inevitably, they will ask for it. Because universities can take five to 10 days to get you a copy [of your academic transcript], always keep it on hand to avoid costly delays." It's also important to have a copy of your matric certificate on hand - even if you've been at university for a number of years. Companies may use matric certificates to gauge the numerical skills of students who are studying more theoretical degrees. "They really want these [matric certificates] just so they can confirm you have numerical ability if such skill is not part of your degree," says Sims. "These skills are seen as important in promotions for leadership." Similarly, Timmey says you should keep an application portfolio on standby, so that as opportunities arise, you already have all your basic material ready to go. In addition to up-to-date academic transcripts and your matric certificate, this portfolio should include records of volunteer activities and vacation work, testimonials and copies of documents highlighting awards. "Once you have the general portfolio, you know you can start getting specific with your covering letter," Timmey explains. The covering letter When it comes to making an impression on a company offering a bursary, Timmey says your covering letter is crucial in conveying a message particular to that company. "In all the [bursary application] workshops, it's emphasised in a big way," he explains. "The covering letter is the means by which you distinguish and sell yourself, giving the reader an appetite for meeting you in person." Your covering letter is your opportunity to stand out. As such, it should highlight a few of your accomplishments or strengths - particularly those that will be of interest to the company you're applying to. Make sure you tailor it to the specific company - and personalise it: do your research so that you can address it to the correct person, and not simply "to whom it may concern". Research Before you send off your application or write your covering letter, research the organisation you're applying to. Bursaries aren't free tickets to university; there are requirements ranging from employment after graduation to holiday work obligations. Says Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University career counsellor Sherry Horne: "Before accepting a bursary, students are urged to research the company. Doing their personal research is an opportunity to discern whether or not they really want to be tied down to that company. "Bursaries are sometimes available and students choose on that availability. That choice, however, might not be the correct one. Knowing you are not well suited to a career can be established when you have enough information on what the career involves." Oatile Phakathi, a third-year medical student on a bursary at the University of Cape Town, agrees. "Match the career the bursary offers with what you know about yourself and what career you would like to follow. Successfully applying for a bursary involving a future career you don't truly want is hardly a recipe for overall success," he says. "At the end of the day, the application is important and you can prepare for it, but I think it's crucial that you realise the victory is not whether you are awarded the bursary as much as it is whether you have the passion, drive and enjoyment to truly use it to benefit yourself and the company that has offered it."