Applications are officially open for funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). The NSFAS application for the 2025 academic year will close on 15 December.
Since its inception, NSFAS has supported more than 5 million beneficiaries. For 2024, NSFAS supports 1.2 million students with the department expecting this number to grow in 2025.
NSFAS has supported more than five million beneficiaries, producing hundreds of thousands of skilled professionals, especially from within the poor and working-class sections of society.
NSFAS Loans
NSFAS reintroduced student loans in 2024 and now the government funding scheme offers loans to students who don't qualify for a bursary but can't afford to pay their fees without any financial assistance, the "missing middle".
South African citizens and permanent residents who have a household income between R350 000 and R600 000 can make a NSFAS application 2025 for the student loan.
We successfully did this through the implementation of the first phase of the Comprehensive Student Funding Model, which ensures that the missing middle students access financial support from the government in the form of a loan to pursue their studies.
NSFAS Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for NSFAS funding, an applicant must meet the following criteria:
- Be a South African citizen or permanent resident who comes from a home with a combined gross household income that does not exceed R350 000 per annum for bursaries and R600 000 per annum loans
- Sassa grant recipients automatically qualify for the NSFAS bursary and are not required to submit proof of income.
- Must be studying towards a qualification at a public university or TVET college in South Africa.
How To Apply For the NSFAS Bursaries and Loans
NSFAS applications must be submitted online using the myNSFAS website. To apply, prospective students will need to create a myNSFAS account, then click on the ‘Apply’ tab, complete the online form, upload the required documents where applicable and then click on ‘Submit’.
Applicants are reminded to provide the correct Identity Document (ID) numbers, name(s), and surname, as reflected in their South African ID.
Applicants are also required to submit a NSFAS consent form. This form grants NSFAS permission to obtain information from third parties, such as the South African Revenue Service (SARS), to assess financial needs. Failure to submit the consent form can delay the confirmation of funding.
