Applications for chartered accountancy’s most sought after bursary are open
For the past 20 years, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) has been working through its Thuthuka Bursary to fix the member demographics of the chartered accountancy profession to be reflective of those of the country.
Thuthuka Bursary, funds academically talented African and Coloured learners and students who want to become CAs(SA) is one of the country’s most sought after bursaries in the Chartered Accounting Profession. This is because Thuthuka covers tuition, books, meals, residence fees and accommodation and is also an , integrated and holistic approach that provides bursary recipients with ‘wrap around’ support in the form of, among others:
- academic support, including various academic enrichment programmes such as additional tutorials, study skills workshops and more
- social and emotional support
- work-readiness and life skills training
- mentoring and counselling and
- access to dedicated programme manager
- exposure to experienced chartered accountants and business leaders as mentors
Thuthuka students remain fully funded for all the years that they continue to pass their degree within the requisite time the programme follows, that is within the 3 years required for an undergraduate degree and also, eligible students that meet the requirements for CTA are also funded. an
Year on year, this model has made Thuthuka funded students more successful than their counterparts. It is also this approach that makes Thuthuka students ready to face the challenges of the workplace.
Says Thuthuka beneficiary Tokelo Mulaudzi, Senior Manager: Investor Relations at Momentum Metropolitan Holding: “Without the Thuthuka Fund I would not be the well-rounded CA I am today. It provided me, not only with financial support, but I also had access to the best tutors and lecturers through the extra classes that we received.”
Nhlamulo Khoza, Thuthuka beneficiary and qualified CA(SA) at Executive Head: Finance and Operations at Nedbank’s Group Risk division: “The Thuthuka programme offered us opportunities which we could benefit from. This included regular tutorial classes with lecturers and industry experts, and so I made sure to attend all the tutorials and utilise all the study materials provided by Thuthuka. I took full advantage of those opportunities.”
Applications for 2023 bursary intake close on 31 August 2023
The application window to apply for the Thuthuka Bursary 2023 is currently open.
The criteria to apply for a Thuthuka bursary is qualify for the Thuthuka bursary, you must:
- be a South African citizen;
- be black African or Coloured;
- be either in Grade 12, out of school (with Matric) for no more than two years or a university student currently studying a CA-stream BCom degree;
- have obtained at least 60% (5 or above on the NSC scale of achievement) in Mathematics in Grade 11 or Matric (Maths Literacy and Technical Maths learners are NOT considered);
- have applied to or are currently studying a BCom Accounting (CA stream) degree at a Thuthuka partner university. The full list of universities offering the Thuthuka programme can be found on SAICA’s website;
- come from a family that has a combined income of R350 000 per annum or less; and
- write and pass the National Benchmark Test (NBT).
To apply, visit www.thuthukabursaryfund.co.za and submit your application before the end of August 2022.
About SAICA
SAICA, South Africa’s pre-eminent accountancy body, is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading accounting institutes. The Institute provides a wide range of support services to more than 46 000 members and associates who are chartered accountants [CAs(SA)], as well as associate general accountants (AGAs(SA)) and accounting technicians (ATs(SA)), who hold positions as CEOs, MDs, board directors, business owners, chief financial officers, auditors and leaders in every sphere of commerce and industry, and who play a significant role in the nation’s highly dynamic business sector and economic development.
Chartered Accountants are highly valued for their versatile skill set and creative lateral thinking, that's why the top 100 Global Brands all employ Chartered Accountants*.
*Source: CAW, 2020 – Interbrand, Best Global Brands 2019
About SAICA’s transformation initiatives (also known as Thuthuka):
One of SAICA’s prime goals is to contribute towards strengthening the country’s economy by playing a significant and leading role in transformation and skills development. Through Thuthuka, a pioneering initiative to promote transformation in the profession, SAICA launched its transformation efforts in the Eastern Cape in 2002 and has grown this into a national project that includes various interventions across the education value chain as well as the highly successful Thuthuka Bursary Fund (which was established in 2005).
Thuthuka’s objective is to transform the demographics of the profession to reflect those of the country in terms of race and gender, and provide educational support to African learners and students for the benefit of the profession, while simultaneously helping to uplift communities. Therefore, SAICA prides itself in leading the chartered accountancy profession as a socially responsible driver of business and skills development by supporting and encouraging enterprise development initiatives.
SAICA Media Contact
Ms Karin Jacobsen
Project Manager: Marketing and Communications
SAICA Nation Building Division
Tel: 011 621 6913
Email: ***@saica.co.za