The benefit of studying at any of South Africa’s public universities is that you can also apply for student funding by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, provided you meet the scheme’s funding requirements.
However, since being a distance learning institution is the University of South Africa’s (Unisa) most notable feature out of the country’s 26 public universities, You may be wondering how many modules you would have to register for in order to qualify for NSFAS funding.
Fortunately, there is currently no specified number of modules that are required for you to qualify for funding assistance by the bursary scheme. The university allows you to apply for NSFAS funding as long as you have registered for your first undergraduate qualification.
To qualify for funding from the bursary scheme, prospective students must meet the following qualifying criteria:
- Be a South African citizen.
- Have a combined household income that is not more than R350 000 per annum.
- Person with disability: Combined household income must not be more than R600 000 per annum.
- SASSA grant recipients qualify for funding.
It is also worth noting that there is a certain academic criteria that NSFAS funded students need to meet in order to qualify for funding.
The bursary scheme’s policy agreement states that in order to continue receiving financial aid throughout their studies, university students must maintain a 50% course credit pass rate and meet all academic requirements of their respective institutions.
Every student at Unisa has to pass a minimum of 36 credits (which is 3 modules) in their first year of study and then 48 credits (4 modules) in their second and further years of study to pass.
As Unisa is a distance learning institution, the NSFAS allowances students receive are different to other universities or TVET colleges. NSFAS covers the following for Unisa students:
- Tuition fees
- Registration fees
- Learning material allowances
- Living allowances
For more detailed information on the tuition fees, applications and courses offered by each of these colleges, you can visit our Where To Study directory.
