VarsityToolkit was built with one goal in mind, to give every African student access to the tools they need to navigate higher education. Whether you are looking for funding, trying to figure out which universities you qualify for, or just need your prospectus, this guide walks you through everything the platform offers.
Creating Your Account
Getting started on VarsityToolkit is completely free. Click Get Started Free on the homepage or visit the Register page. You will need your name, email address and a password. After registering, check your inbox for a verification email and click the link to verify your account. Verification ensures your reminders and APS results are delivered to the right inbox.
Once verified, log in and you will land on your profile dashboard — your personal page for everything you save, submit and track on the platform.
Finding Scholarships and Bursaries
The Scholarships page is one of the most powerful features on VarsityToolkit. Visit it from the main navigation and you will find a growing list of scholarships and bursaries from across Africa.
Searching and filtering — use the search bar to find scholarships by keyword. Use the filters to narrow down by country (South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana or International), type (Bursary or Scholarship), level (Undergraduate or Postgraduate) and status (Open or All). The results update instantly as you filter.
Individual scholarship page — click any scholarship to see the full details including a summary card showing the provider, location, closing date, value and type. You will also see the full description, application links and any supporting documents. If a scholarship has multiple application links (for example separate links), all links are listed clearly with their labels.
Saving to favourites — logged-in users can click the heart button on any scholarship to save it to their favourites list. The button turns green when saved and persists across sessions.
Sharing — use the Share button on any scholarship page to share it directly to WhatsApp, Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn or Telegram, or copy the link to send manually.
Submitting a scholarship — know about a scholarship we have not listed? Click Submit a Scholarship, fill in the details and our team will review and publish it. You can track your submissions from your profile.
APS Calculator
The APS (Admission Point Score) Calculator helps South African students find out which universities and programmes they qualify for based on their matric results. Click here to try it out.
Your Profile
Your profile is your personal dashboard. Access it by clicking your name in the navigation bar. From your profile you can:
Favourites — view all the scholarships, universities, prospectuses and blog posts you have saved. Filter by type to find what you need quickly. Remove items you no longer need with the × button.
Reminders — set deadline reminders for scholarships and applications. You will receive an email reminder on the date you choose so you never miss a deadline.
APS Results — view and manage your saved APS calculations.
My Submissions — track the status of any scholarships you have submitted. You can see whether your submission is pending review, approved or rejected, and the reason if rejected.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of VarsityToolkit
Start by creating a free account so you can save scholarships and set reminders. Check the scholarships page regularly and use the Open filter to only see scholarships that are currently accepting applications. Set your country filter to your home country for the most relevant results. Use the APS calculator early — knowing your score helps you shortlist universities before applications open. Save your favourite universities and prospectuses so you can compare them later.
VarsityToolkit is constantly growing with new scholarships, universities and tools being added regularly. If you find something missing or have a suggestion, use the Submit a Scholarship feature or reach out through our contact page.
Every student deserves the right tools — and VarsityToolkit is here to make sure you have them.