GALLAGHER FOUNDATION Application: South Africa 2027 Scholar Cohort

SUBMISSION DUE DATE: July 31, 2026 11:59 PM

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Gallagher Scholar candidates are citizens of South Africa who reflect academic achievement and evidence of leadership potential. Race, gender and religion are not considered as factors in scholarship selection.

Candidates for the Gallagher scholarship must meet the following criteria:

Values: Gallagher Scholar candidates show evidence of a high level of ethical values, which include:

Commitment to making a difference in their country
Belief that progress can be achieved without violence
Alignment with the Gallagher Foundation Leadership Traits

Leadership:
Gallagher Scholar candidates display evidence of leadership potential through their involvement in leadership activities.
Academic:
Gallagher Scholar candidates possess evidence of academic excellence.
Gallagher Scholar candidates will be entering their first year of undergraduate university studies in 2027.
Gallagher Scholar candidates have applied to a degree program at the University of Cape Town requiring a maximum of 4 years or a 6 year medical degree program.
Final selection into the Gallagher Foundation Scholarship program is dependent upon final acceptance to the University of Cape Town.
Financial:
Gallagher Scholar candidates meet the financial criteria for NSFAS Bursary or NSFAS Student Loan.
Gallagher Foundation will utilize AI (Artificial Intelligence) to assist in the preliminary evaluation of applications, but human oversight will remain integral in our final decision making.

CANDIDATE CONSENT

Are you 18 years old or older?

YesNo

Over 18 Candidate Permission

I give permission for the information I provide in this application to be shared and securely stored with the Gallagher Foundation staff, application review team and interview team. I agree to cross-border sharing of personal information upon submission of the application.

Under 18 Parent/Guardian Permission

I give permission for the information my student provides in this application to be shared and securely stored with the Gallagher Foundation staff, application review team and interview team. I agree to cross-border sharing of personal information upon submission of the application.

As the parent/legal guardian of the applicant under the age of 18, I certify that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements of the program and that the information provided is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Falsification of information will result in termination of any scholarship granted.

Parent/Guardian Signature

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

I understand that to be eligible for this scholarship I must receive final acceptance to the University of Cape Town as a first year undergraduate student for the 2027 academic year.

I understand that to be eligible for this scholarship, I must meet the financial criteria for NSFAS Bursary or NSFAS Student Loan.

I understand that I, as the candidate, must complete all elements of this scholarship application myself.

REQUIRED DOCUMENT UPLOADS

This application requires the following document uploads:

Letter of Recommendation: Request a letter of recommendation from someone who can speak to your leadership abilities. Letters from family members not accepted.
High School Results
National Benchmark Test (NBT) scores
Proof of Conditional Acceptance to University of Cape Town

PROOF OF INCOME DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for the Gallagher Foundation scholarship, candidates must meet the financial criteria for NSFAS Bursary or NSFAS Student Loan. Income information will be verified. It is essential that proof of income for both parents (if applicable) be uploaded according to the following employment status criteria.

Formally Employed Guardian (salary earned from registered employers):
Three most recent months salary or wage slips
IRP5 (issued by South African Revenue Services)
Three most recent months stamped bank statements

Informally Employed/Self-Employed Guardian (salary generated through informal work/small business):
Three most recent months stamped bank statements
Business bank statements (if applicable)
ITR12 (Individual Income Tax Return)

Unemployed Guardian (no formal income):
UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) proof of claim
Three most recent months stamped bank statements

Social Grant Dependent Guardian (government grant supported individual):
Grant confirmation letter confirming that the applicant is receiving a grant
Three most recent months stamped bank statements reflecting grant payments

ESSAYS

This application requires submission of four short essays, responding to the following questions:

All good leaders fail. Each mistake teaches us something. Describe a time you failed in some way and what you learned from it.
What would you like to see happen to your country in the next 50 years and how do you see yourself participating?
Where have you seen leadership demonstrated and what made that person stand out as a leader to you?
Describe a significant challenge you've encountered in your life. What made it difficult, how did you deal with it, and how has it shaped who you are today? Note: We understand that financial need is a shared experience for all Gallagher Foundation Scholarship candidates. For this essay, we encourage you to reflect on other types of personal challenges you have faced and how you have dealt with them.

Applications that are found to have used AI (Artificial Intelligence) to compose their essays will be disqualified.

Application and Selection Timeline

June 12, 2026: Gallagher Foundation Application opens
July 31, 2026: Gallagher Foundation Application closes
August 14, 2026: Applicants are informed of their status in the next phase of the selection process
October 2-3, 2026: Final Gallagher Foundation candidates are interviewed
December 4, 2026: Applicants are informed of the final selection of Gallagher Scholars, pending UCT acceptance

CANDIDATE INFORMATION

First Name

Last Name

Date of Birth

month/day/year

Email

Mobile Phone Number

Home Phone Number

Gender

MaleFemaleOther

National ID Number

How did you find out about the Gallagher Foundation Scholarship?

Please specify the online site that referred you to the Gallagher Foundation scholarship.

Please specify the social media channel that referred you to the Gallagher Foundation scholarship.

Please specify the school, organization or family/friend that referred you to the Gallagher Foundation scholarship.

PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION

Please provide the following information about the parents or guardians who live with and financially support you.

Parent/Primary Guardian

Please select your relationship with your primary guardian.

Please describe the relationship

Primary Guardian First Name

Primary Guardian Last Name

Primary Guardian Employer

If not employed, type None.

Job Title

This person has a secondary school diploma.

YesNo

This person has a university degree.

YesNo

Parent/Secondary Guardian

Please select your relationship with your Secondary guardian (if applicable).

Please describe the relationship

Secondary Guardian First Name

Secondary Guardian Last Name

Secondary Guardian Employer

Job Title

This person has a secondary school diploma.

YesNo

This person has a university degree.

YesNo

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Please enter the Annual Gross Income from all sources for each member of your household including any pensions or social grants.

NOTE: Proof of income is required as part of this application. Your income will be verified. If your income level is above our maximum requirement, you will not be eligible for the scholarship.

Guardian 1 Annual Gross Income

Enter the amount without symbols or spaces. For example: R 10 000,00 would be entered as 10000.

Guardian 2 Annual Gross Income

If you do not have a second guardian, enter 0.

Additional Annual Gross Household Income

If there is no additional income, enter 0.

Total Annual Gross Household Income

SECONDARY SCHOOL INFORMATION

Please provide information about the secondary school you attend and your NBT scores.

SECONDARY SCHOOL

Name of Secondary School

Is this a public or private school?

Where is your school located?

Year of Secondary School completion

What have you been doing since graduating from secondary school?

Current GPA

Enter your grade point average on a 100 point scale.

Did you receive a scholarship to attend secondary school?

YesNo

How much of your tuiton did the scholarship cover?

Enter the percent of total tuition covered by your scholarship. For example, if your tuition is R1000 and you received R100 in scholarship funds, you would write 10%

NBT and FPS SCORES

If you have not yet received your NBT scores, you may skip these questions now. Once you receive your NBT results, return to your application and add your scores.

NBT Exam Scores: AL Score

NBT Exam Scores: QL Score

NBT Exam Scores: MAT Score

University of Cape Town FPS (Faculty Points Score)

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

List the top 4 awards, honors or recognition you have received in the past 4 years. Indicate the level of achievement, year received, and a brief description for each award.

Achievement 1

Name of Award or Achievement

Level of Achievement

Year Received

Provide a brief description of the Achievement or Award

Achievement 2

Name of Award or Achievement

Level of Achievement

Year Received

Provide a brief description of the Achievement or Award

Achievement 3

Name of Award or Achievement

Level of Achievement

Year Received

Provide a brief description of the Achievement or Award

Achievement 4

Name of Award or Achievement

Level of Achievement

Year Received

Provide a brief description of the Achievement or Award

JOB EXPERIENCE

If you have been employed, please complete the following information about your job.

Job/Position

Employer

Years of employment

202620252024

Average hours worked per week

What skills or experiences have you learned from your job and how will you apply this to your future career?

UNIVERSITY FIELD OF STUDY

UCT Programme to which you have applied

What influenced your decision to apply to this programme?

NOTE: Selection into the Gallagher Foundation scholarship program is dependent upon FINAL ACCEPTANCE to the University of Cape Town.

ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Please list details for any other scholarships to which you have applied.

Scholarship 1

Name of the Scholarship

Scholarship Award Amount

Enter the amount without symbols or spaces. Example: R 10 000,00 would be entered as 10000.

Is the Scholarship confirmed?

YesNo

Scholarship 2

Name of the Scholarship

Scholarship Award Amount

Enter the amount without symbols or spaces. Example: R 10 000,00 would be entered as 10000.

Is the Scholarship confirmed?

YesNo

SHORT ESSAYS

Complete a short essay (250-750 words) for each of the prompts below. Save and upload each essay in a separate document.

The essays should reflect your experience in your own voice. Applications that are found to have used AI (Artificial Intelligence) to write their essays will be disqualified.

Only Word and PDF files will be accepted.

Essay 1: All good leaders fail. Each mistake teaches us something. Describe a time you failed in some way and what you learned from it.

Essay 2: What would you like to see happen to your country in the next 50 years and how do you see yourself participating?

Essay 3: Where have you seen leadership demonstrated and what made that person stand out as a leader to you?

Essay 4: Describe a significant challenge you've encountered in your life. What made it difficult, how did you deal with it, and how has it shaped who you are today? Note: We understand that financial need is a shared experience for all Gallagher Foundation Scholarship candidates. For this essay, we encourage you to reflect on other types of personal challenges you have faced and how you have dealt with them.

DOCUMENT UPLOADS

Upload each requested item as a separate document. If you do not have all of the documents now, select "Save my progress" above and come back to this page to add them before you submit your application.

File types accepted: Word, PDF, JPG

Letter of Recommendation: Request a letter of recommendation from someone who can speak to your leadership abilities. References from relatives or family members will not be accepted.

ACADEMIC RESULTS

Grade 11 Official Results

Matric Mid-Year Results

Proof of National Benchmark Test (NBT) scores

Proof of Conditional Acceptance to UCT

PROOF OF INCOME REQUIREMENTS

Proof of Income: To be eligible for the Gallagher Foundation scholarship, candidates must meet the financial criteria for NSFAS Bursary or NSFAS Student Loan. Income information will be verified. It is essential that proof of income for both parents (if applicable) be uploaded according to the following employment status criteria.

Formally Employed Guardian (salary earned from registered employers):
Three most recent months salary or wage slips
IRP5 (issued by South African revenue Services)
Three most recent months stamped bank statements

Informally Employed/Self-Employed Guardian (salary generated through informal work/small business):
Three most recent months stamped bank statements
Business bank statements (if applicable)
ITR12 (Individual Income Tax Return)

Unemployed Guardian (no formal income):
UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) proof of claim
Three most recent months stamped bank statements

Social Grant Dependent Guardian (government grant supported individual):
Grant confirmation letter confirming that the applicant is receiving a grant
Three most recent months stamped bank statements reflecting grant payments

PROOF OF INCOME GUARDIAN 1

Guardian 1 Proof of Income

Guardian 1 Additional Proof of Income

PROOF OF INCOME GUARDIAN 2

Guardian 2 Proof of Income

Guardian 2 Additional Proof of Income

MAILING ADDRESS

Please provide your home mailing address.

Street Name and Number

Suburb or District

City

Country

Postal Code

Please indicate which of the following best describes the location of your home address.

RuralVillageTownshipUrban

CANDIDATE AGREEMENT

Please complete the following statements.

I understand final selection into the Gallagher Foundation Scholarship program is dependent upon final acceptance to the University of Cape Town.

I understand that if selected as a Scholar, the Gallagher Foundation will provide a maximum of four years of funding (six years for medical programs).

I understand that if selected as a Scholar, the Gallagher Foundation scholarship will become my primary source of university funding.

I understand that if selected as a Scholar, I will be required to attain a minimum grade point average (55% in my first year and 60% each other year) while at UCT.

I understand that applicants that are found to have used AI to write their application essays will be disqualified.

I understand that any misrepresentation of my experiences, achievements, activities, financial status, or background, is prohibited and will disqualify me from this scholarship.

Thank you for completing your application to the Gallagher Foundation scholarship program.

For additional information on the Gallagher Foundation scholarship selection timeline, please visit our website at https://gallagherfoundation.org.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@gallagherfoundation.org.

To submit your application, click on the SUBMIT button below.
Once the application is submitted, no changes to the application will be accepted.

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