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It’s the time of year when many people are considering tertiary education, whether learners completing matric or mature students looking to improve their career prospects. According to Atelisha Harilal, Head of Student Recruitment and Marketing at JSE-listed higher education provider, STADIO, the top questions asked by students (and their parents) tend to focus on the following; available options for further study, entry criteria, funding options, and what to do if one’s results aren’t as good as hoped.
DO I QUALIFY?
“The top fears we find every year are whether students will be able to secure a spot to study,” Harilal says. “This relates to whether their marks are good enough to qualify for tertiary education, but also to the perception of limited number of places available and the scarcity mentality that’s developed based on that. For mature students, there are often fears about returning to the classroom or coping with the new technological demands of the current academic environment.”
She says it’s important for students to remember that there are options. Different institutions have different entry requirements, and even if students haven’t achieved the marks, they need to know that there are alternative pathways available for the specific course they want to study.
“That’s important,” she says. “Often, parents feel like if you don’t get into the degree you wanted immediately, that’s the end of your journey, but it’s not. It’s redirecting you to take another pathway to achieve your dream. It’s important to remain flexible and have the vision to still achieve your professional or academic goal, even if you have to take a longer or different pathway.”
She says STADIO’s vision is to broaden access to education. “We’re trying to ensure that every South African has the opportunity to empower themself. While there are a limited number of university places available, private tertiary institutes are another option.”
HOW CAN I FUND MY STUDIES?
Although National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding is only available to students at state-run universities, Harilal says that STADIO offers various funding options to make studying accessible to more students.
“We partner with different loan and finance providers, including Student Hero, a company that supports students by sending out their loan applications to different banks to try to negotiate the best student loan deal. We have a partnership with Manati, which offers alternative student funding that does not follow traditional rules for affordability. We have partnered with Capitec Bank so that our students can apply online within a few minutes, and get details of how much they will qualify for and what their monthly repayments will be.”
WHAT STUDY OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ME?
STADIO has also split its contact learning fees into 10 monthly fees to make it easier for students and their families to manage the overall cost of the annual study fee. “In our distance learning courses, students have a flexible module load, thereby ensuring that they’re able to take as many modules as they can afford without adversely affecting their academic journey,” explains Harilal.
“If I had one key thing I could say to students and their parents, I would like them to remember that academic requirements are not something that should restrict them from accessing their dreams. Remain flexible and agile and fight for what you want. Sometimes, the longer way there is what sets you apart from the rest and proves you’ve got grit.”