Class of 2022: Top achievers encouraged to choose UCT

16 January 2023 | Story Staff writer. Photos Je’nine May and UCT. Read time 3 min.

As the class of 2022 gears up to receive their matric results, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng has urged the country’s top achievers to consider making UCT their university of choice by accepting her offer to become the Vice-Chancellor’s “Blue Carpet” Scholarship recipients.

The VC’s “Blue Carpet” Scholarship is awarded to matriculants who have performed extraordinarily in their final National Senior Certificate (NSC) or Independent Examination Board (IEB) examinations and have plans to study towards an undergraduate degree at Africa’s top university. The scholarship is valued at R100 000 per year, covers tuition and residence and is valid for up to three years, subject to the student being named on the dean’s merit list in their specific faculty. The balance of the funds, where applicable, can be used for laptops, books and other study needs.

Choose Africa’s top university

Aside from being rated the top university on the continent, UCT was also ranked 55th by the Times Higher Education (THE) in their list of the most international universities in the world for 2022. This position is tied with two universities in the United States: Carnegie Mellon and Princeton. Further, UCT climbed 23 places in the 2022 World University Rankings also published by THE; the university now sits at 160th globally, up from 183rd in 2021.

So, the top achievers in the class of 2022 are encouraged to be part of a student community that is committed to unleashing their human potential to create a fair and just society. Those who qualify for this unique opportunity meet the following criteria:

top achievers in English, mathematics or in the Computer Science Olympiad in 2022
top 10 matriculants in Western Cape Education Department schools or recognised among the top 15 matriculants by the national Department of Basic Education
top five national achievers who attended an IEB school.

Become a VIP student

On receipt of the scholarship and arrival at UCT, successful candidates will receive VIP treatment and the university will roll out the blue carpet for them during key events throughout the year. Some of the events that candidates will have the privilege of attending include:

a special welcome lunch or dinner with Professor Phakeng
an invitation to several exclusive events as Phakeng’s special guest for a year
a VIP seat at all Ikeys Varsity Cup home games for a year
a top achievers’ hike followed by lunch with Phakeng.

If you are awarded a scholarship then you’ve already applied to study at UCT in 2023, and you will receive correspondence from the university informing you of your scholarship offer in due course.