WANT TO BECOME A CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT CA(SA)?...

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1 WANT TO BECOME A CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT CA(SA)?... WE VE GOT BURSARIES UP FOR GRABS! APPLICATIONS FOR 2019 CLOSE ON 31 AUGUST 2018

2 Looking back at my journey and thinking of the role Thuthuka played in getting me here, a strong feeling of gratitude fills my heart. NHLAMULO KHOZA, TBF beneficiary and newly qualified CA(SA) Dear Matrics, If you dream about becoming a chartered accountant with the CA(SA) designation behind your name, Thuthuka has good news for you... Thuthuka gives you more than just a bursary Every year, the Thuthuka Bursary Fund (TBF) of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) provides full-funding for academically and financially deserving Africans and students who are studying to become Chartered Accountants (CAs(SA)) at selected SAICA-accredited universities. These TBF students are not simply offered financial support and then expected to deliver good results, we provide our students with a holistic model proven to make TBF students more successful than their counterparts. Why do we do this? Because as the custodian of the chartered accountancy profession, SAICA has undertaken the responsibility of ensuring that there is a consistent flow into the profession of adequately and suitably qualified accounting professionals representative of the country s race and gender demographics. The comprehensive support of the TBF programme has been proven to reduce university drop-out rates and exponentially improve students employment potential. The TBF programme has created more than 500 fully-qualified CAs(SA) to date. This is a huge number, considering that it takes a minimum of seven years to complete the CA(SA) qualifying journey. In this report, we have included some comments by some of our beneficiaries to show how successful our approach has been. And now, YOU have the chance to become one of them. THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND 1

3 What support can you expect from TBF? Here s what you get when you become a TBF student: Financial support in the form of: Full tuition fees (for each consecutive year that you pass) Accommodation Books Meals In addition to the financial support, TBF recipients also receive nonfinancial wrap around support in the form of among others: Academic support. This includes 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 Access to dedicated programme managers at every SAICA-accredited university Exposure to experienced chartered accountants and business leaders But that s not all... In their CTA (honours) year, TBF also places its beneficiaries into training contracts (three-year compulsory training learnerships) with the companies who have funded them throughout their four years of university. This means that TBF beneficiaries that pass their Certificate in the Theory of Accounting (CTA or post-graduate degree) are guaranteed a training contract after completing their studies. That s right, you are guaranteed employment when you leave university! The following pages explain exactly how to go about applying to become a TBF beneficiary. Do you qualify for TBF support? You qualify to apply to join the TBF programme if you: are a South African citizen are Black African or Coloured are either in Grade 12 or out of school (with Matric) for no more than two years have obtained at least 60% (5 or above on the NSC scale of achievement) in Mathematics in Grade 11 (Maths Literacy learners are NOT considered) have enough points to qualify for university entrance and intend to study a BCom Accounting (CA-stream) degree have applied (or are in the process of applying) for a BCom Accounting (CA-stream) degree at a SAICA-accredited university offering the Thuthuka programme. One of the two universities must be the TBF university closest to your home (list on page 4) come from a family that cannot financially support your tertiary education*. * Please note that all candidates will be assessed using the NSFAS means test to determine financial need Do you tick all the boxes to qualify? Here s how to apply Your first step is to visit the TBF website at On the website you need to: 1. register a user profile (do this by using your ID number as your username and creating a password); 2. complete the online application form; and 3. upload the following supporting documents*: your ID document or ID card ID document(s) or ID card(s) of parent(s)/guardian(s) ID document(s) or birth certificate(s) of person(s) who are dependent on your family s income parent/guardian s salary advice or affidavit if unemployed signed consent form (available to download on the website) your Grade 11 results your final Grade 12 results (if you have already completed Grade 12) university s provisional acceptance letter (to be uploaded to your online profile as soon as you receive it) a stamped letter from your school confirming that you are registered at the school as well as your subjects * all supporting documents must be certified copies signed and stamped by a Commissioner of Oaths 4. Once you have completed the form and uploaded all the supporting documents, you should submit your TBF application. Remember to do this before the closing date of 31 August Importantly, you will also have to apply for and write the National Benchmark Tests (NBT) before 31 August 2018 or submit your results if you have written it already. More details about the NBT are here: 2 THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND 3

4 What happens once you ve applied? After the TBF applications close on 31 August 2018, all applicants will undergo a rigorous selection, screening and assessment process. During this process, the TBF university teams will identify possible candidates to study at their institution. Applicants who are shortlisted by the universities will be informed via SMS. The university team will also contact shortlisted applicants about the next steps to follow (residence, date of arrival, and other practical details). Following the release of the Grade 12 matric results, successful candidates will be informed that they have been selected for the TBF programme. You will have to sign a contract with SAICA before being admitted to university as a TBF student. The diagram on the next two pages illustrates the process in more detail: PHASE 2: Screeing process Your application is screened by SAICA s TBF team If selected, you will have to apply for and write the National Benchmark Tests (NBT) or submit your results if you have written it previously PHASE 1: Application 1.1 Complete the TBF application form at Apply to at least 2 of the following TBF universities (one if which must be close to your home): Nelson Mandela University (BCom Accounting: course code 40003) North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) (BCom CA: course code E371P) Rhodes University (Bachelor of Commerce [Accounting]) PHASE 3: University selection process (done by the TBF project manager at each university) After the closing date for applications (31 August 2018), every TBF university identifies and shortlists its TBF candidates If you are shortlisted, the university and TBF will contact you via SMS to let you know you are on the university s shortlist The university team will contact you to outline next steps (residence, date of arrival, etc) Stellenbosch University (BCom Accounting: course code ) University of Cape Town (Bachelor of Commerce: course code CB011) University of Fort Hare (B Commerce in Accounting: course code 60001) University of Johannesburg (Bachelor of Accounting: course code BCA012) University of Pretoria (BCom Accounting Sciences: course code ) University of the Free State (Bachelor of Accounting: course code 6319) PHASE 4: Confirmation In January, once your matric results are released, your university will confirm your eligibility based on your final Grade 12 marks Once accepted, you will arrive at your university to sign your offer letter and TBF contract and start your academic career University of Witwatersrand (BAcc Science: course code CB008) 4 THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND 5

5 TALENT MTHIYANE, Qualified CA(SA) and TBF beneficiary Thuthuka has changed my life! It alleviated my family s financial burden of sending me to university. It eliminated most of the anxieties and stress of coming from a school and being in a lecture room with students who were from the best schools in the country and had the brightest minds aided by the best resources. Thuthuka s constant motivation and support aided our abilities as students and showed us that where we are from does not determine our destiny or how high we can rise. TSHIDISO MADUWA Qualified CA(SA) and TBF beneficiary Thanks to Thuthuka, I never had to stress about food, accommodation or books. It was all taken care of. This removed a lot of the pressure on me. In fact, all I had to do to show my appreciation was to do well. COLLEEN ADAMS Qualified CA(SA) and TBF beneficiary Qualifying as a CA(SA) would not have been possible without both the financial and non-financial support that Thuthuka offers. I am yet to hear of another programme that goes to the type of lengths to develop and invest in the potential of individuals who do not have a fair chance in succeeding. The passion and dedication with which this programme is implemented is unparalleled. The fund recognised other needs and support that we, as students, needed on our CA(SA) journey. Let s answer some questions About The Application Process: How do I apply for TBF? Visit and register your profile. Here you will complete your application form and submit your supporting documents. When is the closing date for TBF applications? Applications for the 2019 TBF intake close on 31 August I have forgotten my login details, what now? When you register your TBF application, you will create a unique profile. To log in to that profile, enter your ID number (this will be your profile number) and your password. If you have forgotten your password, reset it by clicking on the reset link. What supporting documents do I need to upload? A full list of the supporting documents can be found on page 3. Please ensure that each document is signed and stamped by a certified Commissioner of Oaths. What type of file will you accept my supporting documents in? The file type may be.pdf,,jpg,.jpeg,.png,.tif or.gif. Please ensure that the quality of your files is acceptable for easy reading by the TBF team. The file resolution should be high enough that text is clear (not blurred) when you open the file. Please ensure files are no larger than 3MB each. How do I upload my documents? To upload your supporting documents: Log in to your saved profile Click the link under the supporting document you are uploading A window will open for you to browse the files on your computer or other device. Navigate to the directory on your device where your supporting documents are saved, and then select the document(s) to be uploaded Click to upload (do this for all the supporting documents) Once all your supporting documents are uploaded, accept the TBF terms and click submit to send your application to TBF. Remember: You can upload documents separately (one by one) on your profile s saved draft but your application will not be considered final until all supporting documents have been received. APPLY TODAY! APPLICATIONS CLOSE ON 31 AUGUST THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND 7

6 About TBF How is TBF funded? TBF is built on partnerships between government, the chartered accountancy profession, commerce and industry, academia and private individuals. Government matches every rand TBF raises in the private sector. The fund s strategic funding partner is the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). NSFAS funds approximately half the bursaries for all the students in the system. Each TBF student enters into a bursary agreement with NSFAS and costs are split evenly (50% each) for the full cost of study. Will I need to pay TBF back? No but, by becoming a TBF recipient, you are bound to the terms and conditions outlined in your TBF contract. Which universities participate in the programme? TBF has undergraduate BCom Accounting (CA-stream) education programmes at the following institutions: Nelson Mandela University (BCom Accounting: course code 40003) North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) (BCom CA: course code E371P) Rhodes University (Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting]) Stellenbosch University (BCom Accounting: course code ) University of Cape Town (Bachelor of Commerce: course code CB011) University of Fort Hare (B Commerce in Accounting: course code 60001) University of Johannesburg (Bachelor of Accounting: course code BCA012) University of Pretoria (BCom Accounting Sciences: course code ) University of the Free State (Bachelor of Accounting: course code 6319) University of Witwatersrand (BAcc Science: course code CB008) When applying, please check that you are applying to study for the CA-stream degree and ensure you apply to at least two TBF universities (one of which must be close to home). Should you not be selected by one of the two TBF universities to which you apply, TBF will make provisions for you to attend another TBF university on the list if you have applied to that university and meet their entrance requirements. About The National Benchmark Tests (NBT) What is the NBT? The NBT measures your academic readiness for university. The NBT consists of two tests: 1.1 The Academic Literacy and Quantitative Literacy domains (AQL) are combined into one multiple-choice test. Each section is timed, for a total of three hours of writing time. 1.2 The second test is a Mathematics (MAT) test. It is also a multiple-choice test, and you have three hours to complete it. Why do I need to write the NBT? The NBTs are used by many universities to help them interpret your school-leaving results and to determine whether you will need extra academic support during your studies. When should I write the NBT? You will have to apply for and write the NBT before 31 August 2018 or submit your results if you have written it already. Where can I write the NBT? The NBTs are written on specific test dates at multiple venues around the country. Find out where and when in your province you can write at If there are no test venues near to where you live, send an to nbt@uct.ac.za or phone them on They will assist you in making arrangements for a special test site. Can I stay at home instead of staying on campus? No. TBF requires all its funded students to stay in a university residence to ensure that its beneficiaries get the full benefit of the programme s wrap-around support. 8 THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND 9

7 FOR ANY ENQUIRIES, CONTACT About SAICA: The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), South Africa s pre-eminent professional 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 members who are CAs(SA) and hold positions as CEOs, MDs, board directors, business owners, chief financial officers, auditors and leaders in their spheres of business operation. Most of these members operate in commerce and industry, and play a significant role in the nation s highly dynamic business sector and economic development Tel: +27(0) , 17 Fricker Road, Illovo, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2196 Thuthuka Education Upliftment Fund Registration No: 2002/001562/082018/04/04