Overview
The Sorghum Trust endeavours to aid and promote higher education in agriculture, more specifically, to promote the study of sorghum and its impact on agriculture. The collective founders of the Trust including producers, researchers and private industry know the world of agriculture is changing as times change. The Sorghum Trust seeks to promote agricultural progress by identifying, educating and equipping demographically, responsible and diverse individuals who have the potential to excel and make a significant future impact within the agricultural industry. The interests of the Trust are best summarised in a quote from Gladys Krieble Delmas:
“Western societies produced a flowering of human values and enduring beauty; I hope they will not be entirely lost in the new society whose shape we cannot know. Let us try to preserve the best and encourage the shoots of the new to grow in a direction that will not entirely distort the old.”
For further details about the Sorghum Trust Scholarship Scheme, kindly contact Marna Booyens at Agri Manage Solutions (Pty) Ltd (the Administrators of the Sorghum Trust) electronically via az.oc.eganamirga@anram.
Terms and Conditions
Applicants are invited to apply for postgraduate scholarships with Sorghum Trust to further their studies within the sorghum industry.
The basic requirements for application of a scholarship with Sorghum Trust are:
- Applicants must be South African citizens.
- Applicants must be admitted to study full time with the institution of their choice.
- Sorghum Trust scholarships are only awarded to Masters and Doctoral studies.
- The field of study must be relevant to the South African sorghum industry.
- The proposal for the dissertation/thesis must be approved by the Sorghum Trust before commencement with the studies.
- Upon application, the Sorghum Trust requires:
- A completed application form,
- A certified copy of a South African identity document/passport,
- Updated curriculum vitae,
- The latest academic transcript/record on an official letterhead,
- Proof of registration and a fee statement (if available).
A formal scholarship agreement is to be concluded with Sorghum Trust should a scholarship be awarded.
A supervisor for the study programme must be designated by the University where the study will be undertaken and must be approved by Sorghum Trust.
It is the responsibility of the Student to inform the Supervisor that he/she will be required to register with the particular Bursary Scheme on our website. The URL address thereof may be provided by either the student or upon request.
Applicants will be expected to work in the South African sorghum industry for the same period for which a scholarship was awarded.
Annual scholarship amounts will be determined by Sorghum Trust each year.
Closing date for scholarship application submissions is 30 September of every year.
- This scholarship will ONLY fund applicants registered for Masters by Dissertation or Doctoral qualifications.
- Only applicants who apply by the specified date, have completed the application form and submitted all necessary supporting documents will be considered.
- Applications will not be processed unless the Legal Undertaking (Section E), on this Application form, has been completed and signed by the applicant concerned.
- Application for a scholarship does not obligate the Sorghum Trust to award a student a scholarship, nor does it guarantee that any scholarships will be awarded.
- Telephonic interviews with shortlisted applicants will be conducted.
- Applicants will be notified of a successful outcome within 8 weeks of the closing date.
- Should applicants not receive correspondence from Sorghum Trust within 8 weeks from the closing date, applicants may accept that their application has been unsuccessful.
- The Initial instalment of the scholarship is payable in January of each year.
- All scholarship awards are conditional upon receipt of a positive report from the student’s supervisor.
- Applicants will be expected to submit a hard and soft copy of the completed thesis/dissertation on completion of their studies, which will be posted on relevant industry websites.
- Masters by Dissertation/Doctoral Research:
- The Sorghum Trust scholarship of R30 000 is awarded to two applicants who have fulfilled all of the criteria.
- Recipients of the scholarship are awarded at the discretion of the Trustees of Sorghum Trust.
Policy and Procedure Preamble
Sorghum Trust acknowledges its responsibility to the South African sorghum industry to make a contribution towards ensuring that sufficient graduates address the relevant functional areas affecting the sorghum industry. For this reason, the policy and procedures for the awarding of scholarships has been developed to ensure that Sorghum Trust will enable the Trust to play a role in increasing the availability of appropriately qualified scientists and professionals within the industry and that this process is managed equitably and in a transparent manner.
Policy and Procedure
- The policy will apply to Sorghum Trust Scholarship Scheme and it will hereinafter and in general be referred to as “the scholarship”.
- The evaluation and approval of applications for scholarships will be handled by the Trustees of the Sorghum Trust.
- Students who enrolled for a tertiary qualification, at a tertiary institution that is recognised by Sorghum Trust, will be allowed to apply for the scholarship.
- Students in receipt of the scholarship will have to collaborate with a supervisor who is subject to the approval of Sorghum Trust and the University.
- Failure to pass a semester or year course can result in the cancellation of the scholarship.
- Failure, as referred to above, will result in the student repaying the full amount of the scholarship as was awarded up to that point in time.
- Interest at prime overdraft rate will be calculated as from the date of failure until repayment.
- Students will be expected to submit a hard and soft copy of the completed thesis/dissertation on completion of their studies to the Sorghum Trust.
- Sorghum Trust reserves the right as custodian of the scholarship to change the policy, as and when it deems it necessary, and this may be done without prior notification.
