The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides comprehensive financial aid to deserving students enrolled at public TVET colleges and universities. This includes covering tuition and registration fees, as well as providing allowances for essential expenses like food, accommodation, and learning materials.
Hundreds of thousands of students receive funding from NSFAS and are waiting for NSFAS allowance payments. Here's how Unisa students can expect their NSFAS allowances to be paid.
How Unisa NSFAS Allowance Payments For August Will Be Made
NSFAS confirmed that universities will continue to disburse NSFAS allowances until the end of the year. Initially, in April 2024, the government bursary scheme indicated that universities would be responsible for allowance payments until the end of July 2024.
However, a recent update clarified that universities, including Unisa, will extend these NSFAS allowance payments through the end of the year.
Black NSFAS Bank Card No Longer Used
The new NSFAS allowance payment arrangements for both university and TVET college students replace the previous NSFAS Direct payment method, making the NSFAS Direct Payment Black Card obsolete. NSFAS has confirmed the termination of contracts with the service providers.
2025 NSFAS Allowances
According to the The South African Students Congress , NSFAS has indicated that allowances will be paid directly to university students in 2025. This was revealed during a meeting with stakeholders.
We have however held fruitful engagements with NSFAS, whereby they have brought us into confidence about their plans to disburse allowances more efficiently and effectively.
The union said they would welcome this allowance payment method.
We however are delighted to report that NSFAS has in our meeting today committed that by the beginning of the 2025 academic year, all students should be receiving their allowance directly from NSFAS.
What do Unisa students receive from NSFAS?
Unisa students funded through NSFAS are eligible for the Learning Materials Allowance and the Living Allowance.
The Learning Materials Allowance is determined by the number of modules a student is registered for. Unisa students funded by NSFAS receive R700 per module for the first four modules and a one-time payment of R5,460 for five or more modules.
Consequently, if R5,200 is already paid as the Learning Materials Allowance for the first five modules, no additional allowance will be granted for any extra modules. This allowance must be used to purchase textbooks and other study materials required to successfully complete their courses.
Living Allowances are disbursed to students who have registered for ten or more modules. Furthermore, Unisa specifies that students registered for ten or more modules qualify for an incidental allowance.
In addition to these allowances, NSFAS covers both your tuition fees and registration fee.
