The Abe Bailey Trust and Travel Bursary were established in terms of the Will of Sir Abe Bailey who died in 1940. The Trustees of the Abe Bailey Trust make funds available for travel bursaries known as the Abe Bailey Bursaries. These bursaries give selected university students and university staff of junior lecturer status an opportunity to visit the United Kingdom, participating in educational tours according to an approved programme. This is a prestigious award which has been given to young South Africans, many of whom have gone on to make notable contributions both here and abroad.

The objective of the Travel Bursary is to broaden the views of young South Africans by enabling outstanding South African students who show exceptional leadership qualities and a strong service ethic to: (1) effect greater understanding and co-operation among those with various language and cultural backgrounds; (2) foster enterprise, commitment and effective participation in a common future; and to (3) promote South African unity.

Competition for the Abe Bailey Travel Bursary is growing owing to a higher number of participating institutions and students. This year, the Trust has included all the residential universities and universities of technology in South Africa.

The bursaries are awarded each year and cover the cost of an all expenses paid 3 week educational tour of England and Scotland including the cost of tourist class return air fares between Cape Town and London as well as travel expenses between inland universities and Cape Town. It includes the cost of carrying out the tour and all excursions according to the approved programme. In addition, funds will be made available, at the discretion of the Trustees, to cover out of pocket expenses in the United Kingdom.

The host in the United Kingdom is the Goodenough College in London. The selected bursars will be expected to remain in the company of the other bursars, to participate in all organised activities and to carry out the whole of the approved programme. There will be limited short periods during the programme when bursars will be free to arrange their own activities.

The selected bursars from various South African universities will gather in Cape Town on 20 November 2013, spend two days together for orientation and depart for London by air on 21 November 2013. The tour will officially end in London on 14 December 2013.

Abe Bailey Fellowship
All bursars become a member of the Abe Bailey Fellowship comprising of past bursars since the tour’s inception in 1951. Past bursars are kept in touch by way of the Fellowship Newsletter, an annual updated address list and the Abe Bailey website.

Conditions governing the award of the Travel Bursary
Nominees shall be third-year students and above or members of the University staff of Junior Lecturer status.
Nominees must be of South African nationality and have a valid South African passport.
Nominees must be aged 25 or less at the start of the tour, i.e. they must not have had their 26th birthday at the commencement of the tour. This age restriction can be departed from, at the discretion of the Trustees, in the case of outstanding applicants.
Married persons may be nominated but only on the understanding that if granted a Travel Bursary such bursar shall not be accompanied by his or her spouse.

A nomination MUST contain the following:
A personal letter of motivation as to why you are applying for the bursary (this is essential).
A recent letter from each of three current referees reporting on the character, leadership qualities and personality of the nominee.
A CV containing the following information:
Name and postal address
Date of birth and nationality – copy of ID to be included
School(s) attended
Matriculation year and results – copy of matric certificate to be included
University degree(s)/diploma(s), courses and results – copy of university academic record to be included
Extra-curricular activities at school and university – copies of school and university merit/achievement certificates (limited to five) to be included
Social and community service
Details of leadership roles in the community, at school and at university
A brief statement of the dates and purposes of any previous visits undertaken to the United Kingdom
Confirmation of a valid South African passport

Bursars should be proficient in English so as to enable them to adapt to the other members of the tour party and to cope with those whom they will meet in the course of the tour overseas. They should also be physically fit as the programme is intensive and many activities are carried out on foot.

Nominations should reach the Office of the Registrar (Room 4-23, Administration Building) by 12:00 on Monday 15 April 2013. Nominations received after 15 April 2013 will not be considered. Candidates must remember to provide us with a contact number.

Nominees will be shortlisted. Candidates on the short list will timeously be informed thereof and will be interviewed by the Institutional Nominations Committee on 6 May 2013. A list of UP’s top three candidates in order of merit together with all the prescribed supporting documentation will be forwarded to the Trustees of the Abe Bailey Trust who will make the final selection. The decision of the Trustees shall be binding.

Prof N J Grové

REGISTRAR

2013-03-18