Scholarship vs bursary: what’s the difference?

We often refer to scholarships and bursaries as if they’re the same thing, but there are actually important differences between them.

The key similarity between scholarships and bursaries is that they both provide funds to a recipient that go towards their education. They will mainly cover tuition fees, but can also cover things like uniforms, stationery, textbooks, and extracurriculars.

The recipients don’t have to repay the funds (unlike a loan), but there may be requirements for continued support, like maintaining a specific level of academic marks.

What is a scholarship?

A scholarship is a financial award typically given to recipients on the basis of achievement. For educational scholarships, these achievements are usually in the areas of academics, sports or music.

Typically, scholarships are not granted based on financial need. Importantly though, some scholarship programmes do take account of finances as part of the review process.

What is a bursary?

Bursaries are financial awards given to recipients on the basis of certain personal circumstances. In contrast to scholarships, some bursaries might be awarded based solely on financial need.

For example, some bursaries are awarded to learners because of circumstances such as coming from a disadvantaged background, living in a low-income household, or residing in a particular area.

Check out our guide on high school scholarships

If you’re looking for funding opportunities for your child’s education, we’ve compiled an amazing guide detailing all the high school scholarships available for high school learners. Share this with friends or community members who may be on the hunt for funding opportunities.

And if you’re ready to move your child over to online learning, why not reach out to a member of our team?