Bloemfontein – The Free State government will sponsor 500 student bursaries for 2014 in identified fields, education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said on Tuesday.

The aim was to address the shortage of skills in the Free State.

“Since 2009, the provincial government has awarded about 7 000 bursaries to financially needy, but hard-working youth in the Free State,” he said.

The fields in which the 2014 bursaries would be offered, included medicine, mathematics, construction management, and civil engineering.

Ndaba said it was a student’s own responsibility to seek admission to an accredited tertiary institution.

Applications for the bursaries had to include several documents.

These were a certified copy of a birth certificate or a South African identity document, a certified copy of a salary advice not older than three months, and a Grade 12 June examination result report, or Grade 12 certificate.

Also required were the latest results of students already studying at a higher learning institution.

In the case of an orphan or a disabled person, proof had to be provided.

Ndaba said application forms were available at the Absa Building, at 142 Charlotte Maxeke Street (Maitland Street) in Bloemfontein, and at municipal offices.

The closing date for applications was 31 October at 16:00.

No late applications would be considered.

– SAPA