The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) confirmed its 2025 eligibility criteria and funding conditions for the 2025 academic year. This includes information on NSFAS funding for South African Social Security (Sassa) beneficiaries.
NSFAS provides comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving learners enrolled in approved courses at universities and TVET colleges. NSFAS funding covers tuition and registration fees, as well as several allowances for food, accommodation, and learning materials.
The financial aid scheme has revealed how NSFAS bursaries will work for people who get Sassa grants.
How NSFAS Works For Sassa Grant Recipients
NSFAS explained that any university or TVET College student who benefits from a Sassa grant will automatically qualify for the NSFAS bursary as they meet the financial eligibility criteria.
To qualify for a NSFAS bursary, a student must have a household income of less than R350,000. Sassa grant beneficiaries automatically meet this requirement.
Any student who is a South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) recipient, as validated by NSFAS, automatically meets the financial eligibility criteria and will be eligible for a bursary award if they are registered at an institution and are academically eligible.
However, simply meeting the financial eligibility criteria does not guarantee individuals will receive NSFAS funding.
The individual must be enrolled in approved programmes at a university or TVET college and will only begin receiving financial assistance once their registration is finalised.
Students must also meet the academic eligibility criteria set by NSFAS. This includes not exceeding the N+Rule. University students must achieve a course pass rate of 60 percent.
For TVET College students, the academic criteria requires students to pass at least 5 subjects in the previous NC (V) level, pass a minimum of 3 subjects in the previous N-Level or meet the academic progression criteria determined by the respective TVET College for occupational courses.
NSFAS added that only beneficiaries of the Foster Care grant, Care Dependency grant and Child Support grants qualify for NSFAS funding.
SASSA grant recipients that are eligible for funding include the Foster Care, Care Dependency and Child Support Grants.
