Africa University Zimbabwe Student Loan

Financial Assistance

Africa University, in its bid to make higher education accessible to youths in Africa, and being aware of the low income status of the average African family, offers funding to deserving students to assist with payment of their University fees. The University’s Financial Aid Committee is responsible for awarding this assistance. The assistance is awarded on the basis of merit, need and character and it falls into two categories: Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Financial Aid

This is normally meant for assistance with payment of tuition fees and it is available to students from second year onwards. The need of the student is assessed based on their application, supporting documents and information from any referees. The student’s academic performance as indicated by his/her C.G.P.A is also used to determine the level of assistance. Those students performing very well are awarded more than their counterparts as a way of rewarding their efforts and motivating them to continue aiming for higher academic excellence. Students who get onto the Dean’s list will also be assisted with payment of tuition and those whose performance falls below the C.G.P.A. required to graduate will not receive assistance.

Scholarships

Students must apply for scholarships through the Financial Aid Office. Different organizations, churches and individuals set up scholarships which are awarded to deserving applicants, who must also satisfy any special criteria that may be set by the benefactor.(e.g. it may be required that the recipient be of a specified gender or in a specified Faculty or from a specified country.) Scholarships awarded may cover full fees for the recipient or may be partial, covering only specified fees. Where a student receives awards from more than one source and the total amount of the awards exceeds the total fees payable no refunds will be made to the beneficiary. Any such excess is recovered from Financial Aid and awarded to another needy student.

Work Study

All students receiving financial assistance are expected to work in any of the University’s units for a specified number of hours a week as a token of appreciation for the award. Currently those working outdoors are expected to work for two hours a week and those working indoors work for four hours a week.

Procedure for Application

The University advertises for students in need to apply on prescribed application forms available from The Financial Aid Officer, Academic Affairs Office. The applicant has to support all claims pertaining to financial circumstances and family background with documentary evidence. (e.g. death certificates, pay slips, school fees invoices etc.) Completed application forms and the supporting documents are then returned to The Financial Aid Officer, Academic Affairs Office. (usually in the second semester of the year preceding the awards) Incomplete applications or those without supporting documents are not processed.
All awards are subject to the conditions and terms as may be determined by the University from time to time. Beneficiaries who fail to satisfy the conditions and terms of their awards risk having the awards withdrawn and will not be considered for any other awards. When a financial aid/scholarship award is withdrawn from a student, he/she is automatically responsible for the full payment of fees or such portion as is still not covered by any previous financial aid award from the University or elsewhere.