Allan Gray Scholarship Programme (High School Scholarship for Young Entrepreneurial Development)
The Allan Gray Scholarship Programme is a comprehensive high-school scholarship for entrepreneurially-minded learners currently in Grade 6 who will enter Grade 8 at a leading high school. It covers the full cost of attending a top school - tuition, boarding, books, uniforms and a monthly allowance - alongside a structured entrepreneurial development programme with mentorship. This is a separate programme from the Allan Gray Orbis Fellowship, which supports university students.
Eligible Fields of Study
Allan Gray Orbis Foundation supports students in the following disciplines
Eligibility Requirements
- ✓ South African citizen with at least one parent who is a South African citizen
- ✓ Currently in Grade 6 at the time of application, entering Grade 8 in the following high-school cycle
- ✓ Aged 11 or 12 in Grade 6 (born in 2014 or 2015)
- ✓ Minimum overall average of 70% across all subjects in Grades 5 and 6
- ✓ Minimum 70% in both English and Mathematics
- ✓ Demonstrated financial need (household gross monthly income not exceeding R20,000, including any business revenue)
- ✓ Demonstrated entrepreneurial potential and traits such as a growth mindset, self-efficacy, leadership, opportunity identification, curiosity and problem-solving
What's Included
- ✓ Full tuition fees at a leading high school
- ✓ Boarding accommodation costs
- ✓ Textbooks and stationery
- ✓ School uniforms and casual clothing
- ✓ Toiletries
- ✓ Extra-mural activities
- ✓ Monthly allowance
- ✓ Access to workshops, seminars and an annual entrepreneurial conference
- ✓ Online learning platform and campus access
- ✓ Mentorship from a dedicated Programme Officer
How to Apply
Steps to complete your Allan Gray Orbis Foundation bursary application
- 1
Confirm eligibility (Grade 6 learner, citizenship, academic and financial-need criteria)
- 2
Apply online through the Foundation's graymatter.allangrayorbis.org portal once applications open mid-year, before the closing date (reported around 15 September at 17:00 SAST)
- 3
Submit supporting documents including school reports and proof of household income
- 4
Complete the Foundation assessment (held around December)
- 5
Attend interviews early the following year if shortlisted
- 6
Attend placement-school interviews
- 7
Receive scholarship outcomes around May, with successful learners placed at a partner high school for Grade 8
Required Documents
- 📄 Certified copy of the learner's birth certificate or ID
- 📄 Certified copies of parents'/guardians' South African IDs
- 📄 Grade 5 and Grade 6 school reports
- 📄 Proof of household income (including any business revenue)
- 📄 Proof of South African citizenship for the learner and at least one parent
- 📄 Any supporting documentation requested via the online portal
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who can apply for the Allan Gray Scholarship Programme?
- South African learners currently in Grade 6 (aged 11 or 12, born in 2014 or 2015) who will enter Grade 8 in the next high-school cycle, with at least one South African parent, a 70% overall average in Grades 5 and 6, 70% in both English and Maths, demonstrated financial need (household income up to R20,000 per month) and entrepreneurial potential.
- How is this different from the Allan Gray Orbis Fellowship?
- The Fellowship is a full-cost undergraduate scholarship for university students, while the Scholarship Programme is a separate high-school scholarship for Grade 6 learners entering Grade 8. Each has its own eligibility criteria, application portal and selection process.
- What does the scholarship cover?
- It is a comprehensive, full-cost scholarship covering tuition, boarding, textbooks and stationery, uniforms, toiletries, extra-mural activities and a monthly allowance, plus an entrepreneurial development programme with workshops, an annual conference and mentorship from a dedicated Programme Officer.
- When does the programme close?
- Applications open mid-year, and the closing date is reported to be around 15 September (17:00 SAST). Because the official page shows a live countdown rather than a fixed published date, verify the exact deadline on allangrayorbis.org each cycle and apply early.
Ready to apply?
Applications close on 15 September 2026
Apply on Allan Gray Orbis Foundation's official siteNeed help? Contact Allan Gray Orbis Foundation:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 021 481 5479 (Cape Town); 011 290 4940 (Johannesburg)
Information verified 2026-06-22. Always confirm details on the funder's official website before applying.
Other General bursaries
More funding opportunities in this field
Absa Fellowship Programme
Absa Group (administered by Fundi)
The Absa Fellowship Programme is a fully-funded, pan-African scholarship for top-performing students pursuing STEM, digital and data-design degrees at universities across Absa's African markets, including South Africa.
View details →Allan Gray Orbis Fellowship
Allan Gray Orbis Foundation
The Allan Gray Orbis Fellowship is a full-cost undergraduate scholarship plus an immersive entrepreneurial development programme. Fellows commit to pursuing significant social and economic impact through entrepreneurship, with support continuing into their post-graduation 'Catalyst' years.
View details →ASSET Bursary Programme
Association for Educational Transformation (ASSET) (administered in-house by the ASSET Bursary Programme, Mowbray, Western Cape)
The ASSET Bursary Programme is a long-running, partial-cost bursary that helps academically able but financially disadvantaged Western Cape students access higher education. Each award covers a portion of tuition, registration and book costs at a public university or university of technology in the Western Cape and does not need to be repaid. Run by the non-profit Association for Educational Transformation, the programme supports roughly 500 students a year and invites graduates to give back through its Alumni Association.
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