LegalWise Bursary South Africa 2025
ABOUT THE BURSARY PROVIDER – LEGALWISE
LegalWise was founded in the 1984 by Zak Crafford, a then Legal Aid employee. The company aims to provide affordable, equal and fair access to justice and legal assistance for South Africans. LegalWise provides assistance for criminal, civil and labour related cases, giving people access to their basic rights according to the law.
The company offers 3 membership options (Gold, GoldPlus and Platinum), each providing a maximum coverage for legal cases. LegalWise currently employs between 500 and 1000 staff members across their 80 branches.
Clients receive assistance in the form of face-to-face legal counselling, access to a panel of experienced and highly qualified attorneys, cover for legal expenses if representation in court is required, 24-hour telephonic legal assistance, email legal assistance during working hours,
ABOUT THE LEGALWISE BURSARY PROGRAMME – FIELDS COVERED
LegalWise is inviting students to apply for their bursary programme, for the 2025 academic year. The bursary aims to assist students, both financially and with mentorship support, and thereby enable them to further their studies in fields which LegalWise has a need to recruit.
The bursary is open to LegalWise Members or children of Members (biological, adopted child or under legal guardianship), for studies towards the following qualifications:
- Accounting (BCom)
- Law (BA / BCom / LLB)
- Human Resource Management (BCom)
- Industrial Psychology (BCom)
- Information Science (BIS)
- Informatics (BCom / BSc)
- Management (BCom)
- .
MORE ABOUT THE LEGALWISE BURSARY PROGRAMME – COVERAGE VALUE & RENEWAL
The bursary will provide partial cover for study-related expenses, including the following: annual registration fees tuition fees (capped at R44 000 per year). The bursary will NOT cover any outstanding student debt or failed subjects.
The payment of the bursary award will depend on the student receiving satisfactory academic results and submitting their results and accounts to the Bursary Administrator on time.
MORE ABOUT THE LEGALWISE BURSARY PROGRAMME – OBLIGATIONS & SELECTION
Bursary recipients will be required to complete their studies within the minimum allocated number of years, as specified by the University.
Bursary recipients will be required to take part in paid vacation work at LegalWise Branch close to them, for 5 weeks per year (2 weeks during the June/ July holidays and 3 weeks during the December holidays).
Students who are studying towards a BCom degree (Accounting, Human Resource Management, Industrial Psychology or Management), Informatics and Information Science, will be required to take part in paid vacation work and service obligation at the LegalWise Roodepoort branch. Students will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation if they are not residing in the area.
Once students have graduated, they must complete their in-house service obligation – the duration of the service contract is 6 months of paid service for each year of bursary funding received.
Shortlisted candidates will be contact and required to attend an interview at their nearest LegalWise Branch.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LEGALWISE BURSARY
Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):
- You must be a LegalWise Member or a child of a LegalWise Member (biological, adopted or under legal guardianship)
- The LegalWise Member must be fully paid up for a minimum of 2 years before application and must remain a Member for the entire duration of the bursary
- You must have completed Matric
- You must be studying full-time towards one of the qualifications listed above (part-time, distance or correspondence students will NOT be funded)
- You must be entering your second or higher year of study in 2025 (1st year students will NOT be funded)
- You must be studying at one of these approved tertiary institutes:
- University of Johannesburg
- University of Witwatersrand
- University of Pretoria
- University of Cape Town
- University of the Western Cape
- University of Stellenbosch
- University of KwaZulu-Natal
- University of Limpopo
- University of Fort Hare
- University of the Free State
- Rhodes University
- North-West University (Mafikeng or Potchefstroom campus)
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- You must have achieved a minimum overall average of 60% or “C” symbol for the previous year of study
- You must be fluent in English and at least one other South African official language (able to speak, read and write)
- You must possess the following qualities: a positive attitude, determination, commitment, able to work in a team, show initiative, good communication skills and good interpersonal skills
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE LEGALWISE BURSARY
Download and complete the LegalWise Bursary Application Form 2025 (.pdf)
Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):
- ID document (certified copy)
- Passport sized colour photo (attached to the application form
- Matric certificate (certified copy)
- Most recent tertiary academic transcript, including 2024 June exam results (certified copy)
- Proof of university registration for one of the approved degrees (on university letterhead)
- Latest student account (on university letterhead)
- Motivational letter about yourself and why you should be awarded the bursary (maximum 750 words – read our tips on how to write a motivational letter for your bursary application)
- Letter of recommendation by a parent, legal guardian or friend (optional)
- Proof of LegalWise Membership (copy of Membership number or card)
- ID document of LegalWise Member (certified copy)
- Proof of relation to LegalWise Member:
- copy of Membership card, if you are the LegalWise Member
- birth certificate, if biological child of a LegalWise Member
- court ordered guardianship, if a adopted child or under legal guardianship of a LegalWise Member
- marriage certificate, if married to a LegalWise Member
- Parent/ guardian/ spouse proof of income:
- latest financial statements or a sworn affidavit, if self-employed
- copy of latest payslip, if employed
- sworn affidavit, if unemployed
- payslip from legal guardian, if residing with legal guardian while your parents are still alive
- SASSA grant slip, if applicable
- death certificate, if deceased
Note: original documents must NOT be submitted as documents will NOT be returned to applicants. Documents must be certified copies – certified at SAPS or SA Post Office.
Applications must be submitted in one of the following ways:
– Email: helenf@legalwise.co.za
– Fax: 011 670 4557
– Post:
External Bursary Department
c/o LegalWise
P O Box 1524
Florida
1709
– Hand delivered to your closest LegalWise branch (find your nearest LegalWise branch here)
CLOSING DATE FOR THE LEGALWISE BURSARY
30 September 2024.
(Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted – please apply before the closing date to ensure your application is considered.)
CONTACT THE BURSARY PROVIDER
For any queries related to this bursary programme, please contact LegalWise directly:
Email: helenf@legalwise.co.za
This bursary listing was last updated in August 2024.