The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides funding in the form of bursaries and loans to those individuals who can't afford to pay to further their studies. This NSFAS funding targets those coming from poor and working class backgrounds.
NSFAS funding extends to both students from universities and TVET Colleges. However, many TVET College graduates aspire to study at a university.
Will TVET College Graduates Qualify For NSFAS Funding For University?
NSFAS has said, "Only NSFAS approved University and TVET College academic progression pathways are funded".
According to the NSFAS Criteria and Conditions for Financial Aid:
Students who change institution types (i.e., shift from TVET College to University or vice versa) must re-apply for funding ... students starting a university qualification for the first time, but who have already achieved a TVET qualification, qualify as a University FTEN student.
This means that the transition from a TVET College to a University is an approved academic pathway at NSFAS and that they will then cover the university qualification.
These students will have to re-apply for NSFAS when they plan to pursue a University qualification.
NSFAS Requirements For University Students
The most important requirement for your NSFAS financial assistance application form is that your combined gross household income should come to R350 000 or less per year for a NSFAS bursary. This means that if you add up everyone’s salaries in your house for the year and it comes to over R350 000, you won’t qualify.
For a NSFAS loan, the household income must come to R600 000 or less per year.
You also have to be South African citizens to qualify for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme NSFAS funding.
