WENOSA stands for the Women’s Empowerment Network of South Africa, a national non-profit organisation that works on education, enterprise and leadership for women and girls. Its scholarship programme does one specific job: it clears unpaid tuition for women who are about to finish a qualification, so that a fee debt doesn’t stop them from graduating.
The August 2026 round has closed
WENOSA took applications from 1 August to 31 August 2026 and planned to announce the outcomes on 1 October 2026. That round paid fees for the 2026 academic year. WENOSA has not yet said whether it will run another round, or when. Check the WENOSA Scholarship Programme page on wenosa.org for news of the next call.
Up to R50 000 against an unpaid fee account
WENOSA offered 25 scholarships worth up to R50 000 each. The money doesn’t go to the student. WENOSA checks the outstanding tuition on the student’s fee statement and pays the approved amount straight to the university. The scholarship covers tuition only; WENOSA’s page mentions no allowance for books, housing or living costs.
Which women WENOSA picked from
In the last round an applicant had to:
- be a woman with South African citizenship;
- be registered at a recognised South African public university;
- be in the final year of a bachelor’s degree, Honours, Master’s or doctorate;
- hold an academic average of at least 65%;
- show real financial need, leadership potential and community involvement.
WENOSA gives priority to fields where women remain scarce: engineering, digital technology, the mathematical sciences, finance and law, environmental science, agriculture, mining, the health sciences and water infrastructure. Its selection panel weighs four things: consistent marks, verified fee debt, signs of initiative and responsibility, and community work with an impact beyond the lecture hall.
Papers WENOSA asked for
Applicants filled in an online form linked from WENOSA’s site and uploaded a copy of their South African ID, an official academic transcript, proof of registration for the year, a current CV, the latest university fee statement showing the unpaid tuition, and proof of any funding they already receive. If WENOSA opens another round, expect a similar list, so it pays to keep a recent fee statement and transcript at hand.
Other final-year and women-only funding
Women who missed WENOSA’s window can look at the Margaret McNamara Education Grants for women, which also target students close to finishing. The PSG bursary for final-year and postgraduate students is open to men and women. Women in STEM fields may also qualify for the BASF-backed MUTFSCO award for black women in STEM.
Reaching WENOSA
WENOSA lists nqobile.madondo@wenosa.org for scholarship questions and info@wenosa.org for general enquiries.
Can a first-year or second-year student apply to WENOSA?
No. In the last round WENOSA only considered women in the final year of their qualification, whether that was a bachelor’s degree or a postgraduate degree.
Does WENOSA fund students at private colleges?
WENOSA’s last call named recognised South African public universities only, so students at private institutions and TVET colleges did not qualify.