The UCT has a well-established framework to ensure that students from the lowest income quintiles—many of whom are first-generation university entrants—receive comprehensive financial, housing, food, and wellness support to enable them to complete their degrees. This support is coordinated through the Department of Student Affairs (DSA), which integrates financial aid, student housing, wellness, and transport into a holistic safety net for financially vulnerable students.

Financial aid and direct bursary support

UCT’s Student Financial Aid (SFA) cluster administers National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding for all qualifying low-income South African students. In 2024, approximately 40% of UCT’s South African undergraduates were fully supported through NSFAS, which covers tuition, accommodation, and allowances for students from the bottom two household income quintiles. UCT supplements this through targeted institutional aid:

  • The UCT GAP Funding programme supports students just above the NSFAS income threshold who still face financial shortfalls, combining bursary and loan components to cover tuition and living costs.
  • The Sibling Rebate Bursary reduces tuition fees by 20% for families with combined annual income below R750 000 who have multiple undergraduate dependants at UCT.
  • In 2024, over R600 million in NSFAS funding and an additional R50 million in donor and institutional bursaries were disbursed to assist financially constrained students.
  • The Undergraduate Fee Debt Appeal process and a new Council-approved debt relief framework (February 2024) allowed students with debts exceeding R10 000 to register, preventing exclusion of academically eligible but financially distressed students.

Food and basic needs security

Recognising that food insecurity is a key barrier for low-income students, UCT’s Food Sovereignty Programme distributed nearly 10 000 grocery and toiletry packs in 2024 to underfunded and unfunded students. The programme operates alongside donor-supported meal voucher and pantry schemes to ensure that no student is forced to study while hungry.

Housing and residence life

UCT’s Student Housing and Residence Life cluster provides almost 8 000 residence beds, prioritising NSFAS and low-income students in placement. Residences are designed to offer stable living arrangements and holistic development support through wardens, peer mentors, and academic tutors. This guarantees safe, affordable accommodation for students who would otherwise face long commutes or unstable housing.

Transport support

UCT’s Shuttle Bus Service (UCT Shuttle) provides free, unlimited transport to all students, including those from low-income households, connecting university campuses, residences, and nearby public transport nodes. The fleet of 26 buses includes an accessible shuttle for students with disabilities, ensuring equitable mobility across the university’s multiple campuses.

Digital inclusion and equipment access

To address digital inequities, the Student Laptop Programme continues to provide subsidised or loaned laptops to financially constrained students. Devices are issued at the start of each academic year to NSFAS and GAP-funded students to ensure equitable access to online learning platforms.

Summary

Through integrated interventions - full NSFAS funding, gap bursaries, fee-debt relief, food security, residence accommodation, free transport, and digital access - UCT systematically removes barriers faced by students from the bottom financial quintiles. These measures ensure that financial hardship does not prevent academically capable students from enrolling, persisting, and successfully completing their studies, fully aligning with UCT’s Vision 2030 commitment to “unleash human potential to create a fair and just society”.