Vesalius Scholarship 2027, Requirements & Application

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The Spes Bona Initiative for Medical Education is a non-profit founded in 2020 by young doctors in South Africa and Belgium. Its Vesalius Scholarship, named after the sixteenth-century anatomist Andreas Vesalius, is a top-up scholarship for medical students from poor households whose tuition is already covered but who cannot afford decent accommodation, food and study materials. The idea is simple: a student who is hungry or living in unsafe conditions cannot pass medicine.

About the Vesalius Scholarship

The scholarship supports students for the rest of their degree, provided they keep passing. Past awards included:

• Accommodation: up to R5 000 a month for a room in a student residence or approved private accommodation.
• Monthly stipend: up to R7 000 a month for food, toiletries, stationery and textbooks.
• Mentorship and moral support from practising doctors in South Africa and Belgium.

Tuition is not covered. Applicants are expected to hold NSFAS, a university bursary or other tuition funding.

Vesalius Scholarship eligibility requirements

• South African citizen.
• Registered for MBChB at the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, the University of the Witwatersrand or the University of Pretoria. Some cycles also accepted BSc Physiotherapy and Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy students at Stellenbosch.
• From a low-income household. Financial need is the primary selection criterion.
• A demonstrated commitment to altruism: charity work, community projects, tutoring or academic mentorship.
• Passing all modules. The scholarship is renewed each year on academic results.

Vesalius Scholarship application process

1. Email spesbonainitiative@gmail.com to confirm the 2027 round is open and request the application form.
2. Complete the form and gather: certified ID, full academic record, proof of registration at the university, proof of household income for your parents or guardians and their contact details, proof of any tuition funding you hold, a motivation letter, and at least one reference describing your community involvement.
3. Send everything in one email with the subject line “Vesalius Scholarship Application 2027”.
4. Shortlisted students are interviewed, usually online, before awards are made at the start of the academic year.

Vesalius Scholarship closing date

Closing dates vary from year to year and the 2027 date has not been announced. Past rounds closed in the first quarter of the academic year, so prepare your documents by December 2026.

Contact details

• Email: spesbonainitiative@gmail.com or admin@spesbona.info
• Website: spesbona.info (offline at the time of writing)

Medical students should also look at the national schemes on our medical bursaries page, including provincial health department bursaries that carry a work-back commitment.

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