The Simon Nicks Sustainability Scholarships for Masters African Students from the SADC Countries

The Simon Nicks Sustainability Scholarship

Course(s) Offered: Environmental sustainability fields
Course Level: Masters (MPhil)
Provider: Simon Nicks
Country to Study in: South Africa

Scholarship Description
A bursary fund for master's studies in green architecture, sustainable design for urban areas, engineering or science focusing on sustainable technologies was launched at UCT recently.

Named the Simon Nicks Sustainability Scholarship and aimed at mainly black students, the award will contribute R20 000 to the students' postgraduate studies. The scholarship will be in place for the next 10 years.

It was formed by Simon Nicks, a planner and urban designer from Cape Town who put all his winnings from his 2010 Johnnie Walker Celebrating Strides Award (environmental category) into the fund.

Eligibility
The Simon Nicks Sustainability Scholarship has been established to provide support to Master’s students who strive towards the promotion of the environmental sustainability agenda and who will register for a full-time MPhil degree at the University of Cape Town, in one of the courses (or related areas) listed below.

Eligibility and Academic Criteria:

• Preference will be given to South African citizens, although applications from students from the SADC countries will also be considered.
• Applicants must have achieved at least 65% for the 4th or final year or the Honours degree.
• Applicants must have at least TWO years working experience in the general area of the proposed study (*as detailed above).
• Applicants must be accepted (or provisionally accepted) by the academic department, and have secured a supervisor in the department in which the study is to be carried out

Conditions of Award:
The successful candidate will be required to:

• register for full-time study in the relevant department.
• comply with University’s approved policies, procedures and practices on postgraduate funding.
• repay to the University of Cape Town the value of the award should he/she deregister or if satisfactory academic progress is not be made, or if any of the conditions of award are not met
• meet with the sponsor of the scholarship for discussion and to provide regular reports on the study being undertaken.

Eligible groups
Citizens of the five SADC* countries namely: South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Namibia and Mozambique

*SADC - South African Development Community

Participating Institutions
University of Cape Town; South Africa

Fields of study
One of the following (or related) areas: Engineering, Architecture, City & Regional Planning, Urban Design, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Economics

Number of awards

Sponsorship duration
The scholarship will be tenable for one year. Renewal of the award may be considered for one further year, dependent on satisfactory academic progress and availability of funds.

Scholarship benefits
The value of the scholarship is R20,000 per annum.

Method of Application
Applicants are required to:

• Write a letter of application outlining the intended study and how she/he intends to influence policy regarding global, national and local environmental issues, and how he/she will use the study in her/his career in the future. Please note that the Application Letter MUST be limited to 2 A4 pages.
• Submit a CV of no longer than ONE A4 page. The VC must provide detail of previous studies, previous employment and evidence of leadership roles in both of these areas.
• Attach a certified copy of all academic transcripts (University only)
• Attach a certified copy of SA identity document or passport
• Attach 1 letter of reference from an Academic who has taught her/him at University
• Attach at least 1 letter of reference from a previous EMPLOYER (specifically from the Employer from whom the relevant study-related experience was gained).
• Provide a letter from the Course Convenor/Head of Department indicating that she/he has, or is likely to be accepted by the department for study in 2011.

Selection Procedure:
Selection will be made by a sub-committee of the Postgraduate Studies Funding Committee, in consultation with the sponsor.

You may download the Scholarship Notice and Guidelines(pdf).

DEADLINES:
Applications must be submitted to the Director, Postgraduate Centre & Funding Office, University of Cape Town, by no later than 15 January 2011

PLEASE NOTE:
The University reserves the right not to make any award and/or to change the conditions of award.

Application Deadline: 15 January 2011
Open to International students: No (ONLY SADC counties)

More Scholarship Information and Application

Related: Scholarships in South Africa for International Students