A new cohort of young South Africans has just started their final year of school, and among them are future change makers, problem solvers and innovators with dreams and plans for a better world. Through its unique fellowship programme, the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation has, since 2005, created extraordinary opportunities for those completing high school who have the potential to develop into high-impact, responsible entrepreneurs.
The foundation now calls on learners of the matric class of 2023 who are aspiring entrepreneurs to apply now for this prestigious fellowship opportunity that will pave the way to a university education, entrepreneurial mindset development interventions as well as personal and academic development support. Applications are open from 6 February to 28 April 2023.
This year the foundation has refined its funding model for the fellowship in line with its efforts to scale up the programme. For learners living in households below the R1 million annual income threshold, full funding will be granted, including tuition, residence, books, counselling and monthly stipend costs. Learners with entrepreneurial mindsets from households above this income threshold are also welcome to apply and, on acceptance, the value of their fellowship funding will then be determined on an individual-needs basis. This global best-practice, three-step funding model is based on guiding principles that admissions are purely merit-based and funding is entirely needs-based to ensure all eligible recipients of the fellowship, known as candidate fellows, can access the entrepreneurial programmes.
The fellowship programme marks the start of a unique entrepreneurship journey, as candidate fellows are nurtured in the development of an entrepreneurial mindset, ethical values and strong leadership skills as they pursue their university studies. The programme focuses on both academic support and personal development with access to a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem that can support its as they go on to generate ideas, start ventures and grow enterprises with purpose.
Fellowship application requirements include:
• South African citizenship
• 21 years of age or younger in 2023
• Minimum of 60% in pure Mathematics or a minimum of 80% in Mathematical Literacy for final Grade 11 results
• Minimum average of 70% for final Grade 11 results (excluding Life Orientation)
• Intention to study towards a Commerce, Science (excluding Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry), Engineering, Law, Humanities or Arts degree at any of our partner universities, including the University of the Witwatersrand, University of Johannesburg, University of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes University, University of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University, University of Pretoria, University of the Free State or University of KwaZulu-Natal.
• Indications of an entrepreneurial mindset
• Belief in the future of South Africa
Applications are accepted from 6 February to 28 April 2023 at 17:00.
Visit www.allangrayorbis.org to download an application form, or apply online.
