The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) dismissed claims of discrimination against University of South Africa (Unisa) students.
NSFAS provides comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving students enrolled in approved courses at universities and TVET colleges. This funding covers tuition and registration fees. Students also receive several allowances for food, accommodation, and learning materials.
Unisa students also benefit from NSFAS funding. However, due to their Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL), students from Unisa don’t receive the same allowance amounts as students attending traditional learning institutions.
Acting NSFAS CEO, Waseem Carrim explained that allowance payments differences between Unisa students and other university students are due to the circumstances of distance learning.
Unisa students don’t require money to pay for accommodation or transportation because they study from home.
We can’t provide the same allowance threshold for students who are living and studying at home, especially considering the physical challenges present in the country,
Unisa Allowance Amounts
Learning Materials Allowance
This allowance is paid once-off at the beginning of the year. Once it's paid for the year, it won't be paid again. Students will receive a Learning material allowance of R5 678 while students with disabilities will receive R6 240.
Personal Care Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Students who receive this allowance will get around R316 per month.
NSFAS allowances are disbursed in 10 payments throughout the academic year, which runs from February to November for most institutions. This means that students receive their allowances from February until November.
