Over the past fifteen years, as both a recruiter and a talent strategist, I have never selected a candidate based exclusively upon their matric marks. I select for potential, for resilience, and for a proven history of developing and contributing. Many bursary committees operate similarly. The truth is that matriculant low mark bursaries exist, and funders sometimes look beyond grades to evaluate resilience, potential, and practical skills.
A 60% average is not a conclusion; it is merely a piece of data. Your challenge is to create the compelling background behind that data point so that a funder may view you as a better investment than another candidate with higher marks but a less compelling story.
The key is to move beyond competing solely in terms of academic achievement and begin competing in terms of strategic positioning. Below is the manner in which you will reposition your narrative.
The Strategic Reality: Where to Compete
You will not win a bursary that clearly states its requirement for 80% and that relies solely upon academic merit. The strategy is to compete in bursaries that rely on broader and more holistic selection criteria.
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Target Bursaries Offered by Sector-Specific and Vocational Funders
Funders such as the SETA agencies (merSETA, AgriSETA) and large corporations operating in technical fields do not always look for the best theoretical minds. Rather, they seek individuals with practical acumen, a strong work ethic, and a true interest in their respective sectors. A 60% average, especially if the individual had a strong grade in relevant subject areas, is usually acceptable.
The Recruiter’s Perspective: When recruiting for engineering and technical positions, I sought a candidate with experience working with his/her hands and a strong work ethic over someone with an impeccable academic record but with little to no practical knowledge. Your application must convey a practical orientation.
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Leverage Bursaries Offered by Local Municipalities and Community Trusts
Your local municipality or community trust is likely to be your most viable option. These organizations have a mandate to promote development in local talent. They are typically more concerned with the applicant’s ties to the community, their character, and their intent to utilize their education to positively impact their community than with the applicant’s academic record.
The Strategy: Your application must be tailored to each opportunity. Develop your application to highlight your ties to the local community and describe how you intend to utilize your education to positively impact your community.
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Focus on Organizations That Prioritize Financial Need and Resilience
Funders such as NSFAS and the Moshal Scholarship were created to support students who have overcome socio-economic barriers. Therefore, in this environment, a 60% average achieved by an individual overcoming similar challenges could be seen as proof of tenacity rather than a lack of academic prowess.
Core Strategy: Reframing Your Application Narrative
Your application materials must all be developed to present a consistent, cohesive story that contextualizes your marks and communicates your potential.
Motivational Letter: Your Strategic Story
Do not apologize for your marks. Explain them and transition to your strengths. Organize your motivational letter to address the following strategic points:
Opening—Why: What drives you beyond the desire to achieve good marks? “My interest in logistics was formed by observing the struggles of my family’s small spaza shop with supply chain management issues. That is the issue I would love to solve using my studies and accomplishments.”
Context—Resilience: Provide a professional, limited explanation of the challenges that affected your performance. The focus should not be on the hardship but on how you responded. “During the time my father became ill, and we needed to financially assist him, I managed to organize my schedule extremely well. This experience has given me a high level of discipline that I will apply to my studies at university.”
Evidence—Evidence of Potential: This is critical. You must provide evidence of your abilities that exist independent of your matric results.
Leadership: “I organized and coached a youth soccer team, establishing practice schedules and resolving disputes among players.”
Initiative: “I established a small mobile phone repair service in my neighborhood to generate income and learned the technical aspects of the service online.”
Improvement: “I increased my accounting mark from 45% to 65% during my last year of school due to intense self-study, demonstrating my capacity for improvement.”
Closing—Mutual Fit: Conclude by directly connecting your unique characteristics to the mission of the funder. “Your bursary aims to create business professionals with a deep grounding in their communities and the ability to be resilient. As a result of my experiences, I understand the South African economy practically and am eager to enhance that knowledge with formal business training.”
Securing Powerful Letters of Recommendation
A generic letter stating “this is a nice student” is worthless. You must strategically prepare your recommendations.
Prepare a “Briefing Document”: Prepare a one-page document outlining the bursary’s criteria and 2-3 key stories you would like your reference to emphasize, specifically the ones that illustrate work ethic, character, or progress, and not only inherent intelligence.
Contingency Planning: The Step-by-Step Approach
If direct admission into a degree program is not possible, take a strategic, incremental approach. It is not a detour; it’s just a different route or way to the same end.
Enroll in a TVET Diploma or Learnership: If you excel in a structured TVET diploma or a corporate-sponsored learnership program, you will have a new and stronger academic record to base a degree application on in the future. The new record will also demonstrate your ability to complete post-matric studies and make you a significantly more competitive candidate for degree funding. I have observed numerous professionals build impressive careers beginning with this same step.
Final Analysis
A bursary committee is similar to a hiring manager; they are making an investment decision. Your application is your business plan. A 60% average is merely one of several factors in a bursary committee’s risk assessment. Your responsibility is to eliminate the risk associated with that perception by providing substantial evidence of your resilience, your practical skills, your vision for the future, and your potential.
Do not see yourself as a candidate with a 60% average. See yourself as a candidate with a unique story of resilience and practical potential. Then, go out and tell that story with confidence and strategic precision.
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