The Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Nobuhle Nkabane officially launched the National Student Financial Aid Scheme’s (NSFAS) 2025 application period.
NSFAS provides comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving learners enrolled in approved courses at universities and TVET colleges. These bursaries cover tuition and registration fees, as well as several allowances for food, accommodation, and learning materials.
BREAKING NEWS: NSFAS 2025 Applications Now Open! CLICK HERE TO APPLY
NSFAS 2025 applications officially opened on Friday, 20 September 2024 and will close on 15 December 2024 Closing date. This gives students just 86 days to apply for NSFAS bursaries and student loans.
NSFAS is the only tool we have at our disposal for the total liberation of the children of historically disadvantaged people in our country.
Minister Nkabane reminded learners that they do not have to wait until they receive their matric exam results to apply for NSFAS. They have encouraged all learners to apply for NSFAS funding as soon as possible.
NSFAS has been an instrumental vehicle in making sure that we produce the necessary labour skills for a capable state.
In 2024 NSFAS is supporting approximately 1,2 million students enrolled in approved courses at Universities and TVET Colleges.
This demonstrated the role that the scheme has played in trying to change the structural, colonial apartheid system that we have inherited. Those legacies persist in the 30 years of our democracy.
Minister also praised the implementation of the first phase of the Comprehensive Student Funding Model which saw the introduction of student loans for missing middle students.
As we gradually implement our comprehensive funding model, we will continue to work with all funding stakeholders to ensure we consolidate this bursary scheme to ensure that we have a consolidated and efficient loan and bursary system in South Africa.
Government Working To Increase Funding Options
Minister Nkabane said the government will continue to increase funding options for students as the need for funding beyond NSFAS remains critical.
The government also continues to find mechanisms to ensure no one is excluded from post-school education and training opportunities due to a lack of funding.
Work on other bursary scholarship funding in the university sector shows that 161,292 students in the public university system receive bursaries from sources other than NSFAS.
Who Qualifies For NSFAS In 2025
The Minister confirmed that all South African citizens and Permanent Residents with a combined household income of less than R350,000 per annum are eligible for the NSFAS bursary.
NSFAS bursary is open to all South African citizens and Permanent Residents with a combined household income of less than R350,000 per annum.
Additionally, Sassa grant recipients qualify automatically. The bursary covers various expenses, including tuition, living allowances, and accommodation.
Sassa grant recipients automatically qualify for funding.
NSFAS bursary covers the cost of registration, tuition, learning materials, living allowances, personal care, transport and accommodation.
The Higher Education Minister has emphasised that NSFAS will continue to prioritise immediate funding decisions for Sassa and first-time entering students.
It is important for me to emphasise that NSFAS will continue to make immediate funding decisions for SASSA and first-time entering students.
Students who don’t meet the eligibility criteria for the NSFAS bursary are enough to apply for the NSFAS loan.
The NSFAS loan scheme is meant for students who come from families for have a total income of more than R350,000 but not more than R600,000 per annum.
The minister urged students to provide accurate information when applying for NSFAS funding.
It's important that students provide accurate parental information when applying for NSFAS.
More than 170 000 applications have already been received by NSFAS for 2025.
NSFAS anticipates the receipt of more than 900,000 NSFAS applications excluding Sassa beneficiaries.
NSFAS 2025 Applications
NSFAS administrator Freeman Nomvalo said the application system underwent several changes and enhancements to ensure a seamless application experience for prospective applicants during the 2025 application period.
Nomvalo reminded students to upload all the required documents after submitting their NSFAS application. They can only be funded once these documents have been submitted.
Upload all of the documents that are necessary, for some other reason some may not have all of the documents but you must make sure that all of the documents that you need, you upload. And then
The administrator said applicants can visit a National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) office for assistance with NSFAS 2025 applications.
NSFAS will also launch an outreach programme to assist learners with their funding applications.
