Key facts
- Status
- Applications open Closes 30 September 2026
- Provider
- UWC
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Academic year
- 2027
- Last checked
- September 2026
UWC's FAQ and Grade 12 page still list both merit awards, which need an accepted offer; UWC undergraduate applications for 2027 close on 30 September 2026.
VerifiedThe University of the Western Cape (UWC) describes two merit awards for learners coming straight from Grade 12. The University Merit Award is a fixed rand amount of R3,000 to R10,000, worked out from an applicant’s UWC admission points and allocated without an application. The Grade 12 Merit Award pays 75% or 100% of a year’s tuition to learners with a B or A aggregate, and it has to be applied for once UWC has accepted you. The two awards sit on different UWC pages, and UWC does not explain how the two relate, so this page sets out what each source says.
University Merit Award by UWC points
UWC’s Fees and Financial Aid FAQ says the University Merit Award goes to applicants who have been made an offer and have accepted it, “on the basis of the NSC admission point score” calculated the UWC way. The process is automated and no application is needed. The FAQ gives three categories:
| Category | UWC points | Award |
|---|---|---|
| A | 54 and above | R10,000 |
| B | 50 to 53 | R6,000 |
| C | 46 to 49 | R3,000 |
Current UWC students do not apply for this award. The FAQ says senior students can instead complete the UWC Financial Assistance application each year.
Grade 12 Merit Award for an A or B aggregate
The Grade 12 applicants page, under Bursaries and Financial Aid, describes a second award. UWC offers a limited number of these, and the number depends on the field of study and the size of the applicant pool. Learners who passed the NSC with an A or B aggregate may apply, but only after UWC has accepted them to study, not before.
- A aggregate: 100% of the tuition fee for the year.
- B aggregate: 75% of the tuition fee for the year.
UWC does not publish a separate form or deadline for this award. Its financial aid FAQ says applications for financial assistance are made online at uwcfinaid.uwc.ac.za and need an active UWC student number. Ask the Financial Aid Office on 021 959 9753 or 021 959 2737 which route applies to the Grade 12 Merit Award once you hold an offer.
Conditions in the Entrance Merit Award document
The Grade 12 page links to a one-page UWC Entrance Merit Award notice from the Academic Administration and Financial Aid Office. It lists the same R10,000, R6,000 and R3,000 categories. The notice was written for the 2021 intake (it refers to 2020 matriculants), and UWC has not posted a newer version, so treat its conditions as the latest published rather than confirmed for 2027:
- Only South African citizens and permanent residents who matriculated in the year before first enrolment qualify. Learners improving their results or returning after a gap year do not.
- Students on full-cost tuition bursaries, NSFAS or staff rebates are excluded, and an award already made can be revoked if a student falls into one of these groups or declares a bursary after registration.
- The award is for full-time undergraduate degree programmes. Part-time students and those on certificate, diploma or postgraduate programmes are excluded.
- The money is credited to the UWC student fee account for tuition only. It cannot be paid into a private bank account or moved to another institution.
- A UWC subcommittee may review the first allocation, and an allocation made in error gives the student no right to the award.
The same notice describes the entrance award as meant for “financially needy and academically deserving” students, while the FAQ presents the University Merit Award as purely points-based. The FAQ is the more recent statement.
Getting an offer for 2027 first
Both awards depend on an accepted offer, so the undergraduate application is the step that matters. UWC’s Grade 12 page gives 30 September 2026 as the closing date for all faculty programmes for 2027. Grade 12 learners apply on the UWC online application portal with their final Grade 11 results or June 2026 results, and submit no documents at this stage. The portal confirms the 30 September 2026 deadline and states that UWC charges no application fee.
A merit award of R3,000 to R10,000 will not cover a full year of study. Learners from households earning up to R350,000 should also look at the NSFAS requirements, although the 2021 conditions exclude NSFAS students from the entrance award. The UWC provider profile and our university bursaries list cover other options.
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About UWC
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The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is a public university in Bellville, Cape Town. UWC describes itself as a research-led, learning and teaching African university with a legacy of social justice, community engagement and graduate employability. Registered…
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