ABOUT THE COMPANY – 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 BURSARY PROGRAMME – FIELDS COVERED
LegalWise will be awarding bursaries to students who are LegalWise Members or children of LegalWise Members, and currently studying within one of the following fields:
- BA Law
- BCOM Law
- BCOM Business Administration
- LLB
MORE ABOUT THE BURSARY PROGRAMME – COVERAGE VALUE & SERVICE CONTRACT
The partial bursary is available to students from their 2nd year of study onwards, and cover the cost of tuition and registration fees (depending on the bursary budget) to maximum value of R35 000.
Bursary recipients will be required to take part in vacation work at LegalWise for 5 weeks per year, during the June and December holidays. 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 required to attend an interview at their nearest LegalWise Branch.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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):
- South African citizen
- Completed Matric
- Studying towards one of the aforementioned degree qualifications
- Studying at one of the following tertiary institutes: University of Johannesburg, University of Pretoria, University of Witwatersrand, University of Fort Hare, Rhodes University, University of Cape Town, University of the Western Cape, University of Stellenbosch, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, University of the Free State, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University,
North-West University (Mafikeng/ Potchefstroom campus) - Achieved a minimum overall average of 60%/ “C” symbol for the previous year of study at tertiary level
- Fluent in English and at least 1 other South African official language (able to speak, read and write)
- A LegalWise member or have a parent that is a LegalWise member
- 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
- 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 BURSARY
Download and complete the LegalWise Bursary Application Form (.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 be disregarded):
- ID document (certified copy)
- Matric certificate (certified copy)
- Tertiary academic transcript
- First semester tertiary exam results
- Latest tertiary account statement
- Proof of university registration
- Parents/ guardians ID documents (certified copies)
- Parent/ guardian/ spouse proof of income (payslip/ letter from employer if employed/ proof of SASSA grant if applicable/ sworn affidavit if unemployed/ latest financial statements if self-employed)
- Proof that you are a LegalWise Member/ the child of a LegalWise Member/ a legal guardian of a LegalWise Member
- Letter of recommendation from a parent/ guardian/ friend
- Motivational letter about your life and why you should be awarded the bursary
Applications must be submitted in one of the following ways:
1) Email: helenf@legalwise.co.za
2) Post:
External Bursary Department
c/o LegalWise
P O Box 1524
Florida
1709
3) Hand delivered to your closest LegalWise branch (https://www.legalwise.co.za/contact-us/branches/)
CLOSING DATE
2023/2024 TBA.
(Contact to enquire about updated date)
(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:
Contact Person: Helen Frerk (Brand Manager: Community Engagement)
Email: helenf@legalwise.co.za
Tel: 011 670 4500