📍Where to apply

When applying to university you should group your universities into three groups:

1. 🥇Aspirational🥇
   ‍These are the universities you’ll go to if your marks are better than you expectThese are the universities that you are really really really hoping to get into. 💃🏻
   ‍
2. They have very high entrance requirements though. 😬
   ‍
3. And while you are working very hard to meet those entrance requirements, you want to make sure that you have a backup plan.
   ‍
4. 🥈Attainable🥈
   ‍These are the universities you’ll go to if you get the marks you’re expecting**They have lower entrance requirements than the aspirational, but you’d still be really happy to get into them. 😄😄😄These are basically your “safe” options.
   ‍
5. 🥉Fallback🥉
   These are the universities you’ll go to if your marks are worse than you expected**They have lower entrance requirements than the attainable group.
   It would be smart to make sure that some diplomas, higher certificates and TVET options are included here. 🤔
   This means you’ll be covered even if you don’t achieve a bachelor’s pass. 😅😄

Of course, we are hoping that you will get into universities in the aspirational group. 🚀🚀🚀

BUT it’s really important to plan for all scenarios.

So make a list of universities to apply to, listing them as aspirational, attainable, and fallback options. 🙏🏾

If you want some help making this list then use this free template. You can copy and paste it into a Google Sheet and use it to manage your entire application process. ❤️❤️❤️

⏰ When to apply

Now that you have your list, it’s time to apply. 🗒️🗒️🗒️

But filling out applications takes a long time. 🤦🏽‍♀️👀

MUCH longer than you expect. 👀

So you ✨need ✨to set aside some time, either on a weekend or over the holidays, to apply. ⏰

This might take a few weekends or multiple days of your holiday. 📆

That’s totally normal. ❤️

Expect that it’s going to take you about 2-3 hours to fill out each application. ✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽

💰 Funding Options

Once you’ve completed your applications it’s time to think about funding. 🤔

Most students opt for NSFAS, as this is the most wide reaching financial aid scheme in South Africa. 🇿🇦

However, you can also look into bursaries from:

• government departments 🏫
• private companies 🌐
• NGOs/trusts 🤲🏽

These applications can also take up quite a bit of time, so when you are applying for them make sure you’ve set aside enough time to finish the application. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

Follow this strategy, and you’ll be sure to have some tertiary options next year! 🤩🤩🤩

Sending hugs and strength. You got this. 💛🤖

‍