The National Student Financial Aids Scheme (NSFAS) has recently opened process appeals for students who may feel that their student funding application was rejected for unjustifiable reasons.
The appeals process is currently open until 3 March 2022, but not every student applicant will be permitted to lodge an appeal. Here are students who do not qualify for an appeal according to NSFAS.
- Students who are registered for a qualification that NSFAS does not fund.
- Students whose details on the appeal indicate that the student has disclosed different parent or legal guardian details to those disclosed in the application or if the student has now indicated that they are independent.
- Students who have reached N+2 (or N+3) in the case of a student living with a disability)
- A student is a gap year student who NSFAS previously declined to provide financial aid due to not meeting the academic eligibility criteria. The Institution has not submitted their registration record or submitted an incorrect registration record to NSFAS. Such queries must be directed to the institution.
Those who qualify for a NSFAS appeal application should do so using the myNSFAS Portal online using the steps listed below.
Here's how to appeal on myNSFAS:
- Log into your “MyNSFAS" account on www.nsfas.org.za
- Click the 'Track Funding Progress' option
- Check the application progress tabs
- If your application status reflects an unsuccessful message, you may submit an appeal by clicking on the 'Submit Appeal Tab'
- Once you are on the 'Application Appeal' page, you can see the reason for your unsuccessful application status
- You are then able to choose the appeal reason
- Then upload certified supporting documents to support your reason
- Then click 'Submit Appeal'
- You may now track the progress of the appeal on your myNSFAS account.
It is important to note that NSFAS applicants who want to appeal will also need to complete and download a relevant propensity letter.
Here are the propensity letters available for download:
- Failure to meet academic eligibility (PDF)
- Appealing N+1 (PDF)
- N+2 students with disability (PDF)
- Registered for 50% or less (final year course credits) to complete (PDF)
Applicants must submit their NSFAS appeals within 30 days of seeing the 'unsuccessful' NSFAS application status.
It is also important for them to submit their appeal early to ensure that any additional documents required can be submitted on time.
Additionally, appeals with outstanding documents will be left open for 14 days, after which they will automatically be closed if the required documents are not provided.
At most, it usually takes 30 days for NSFAS to respond to appeals.
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