The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), is a government bursary which is available to underprivileged South African students who are looking to study at a public university or TVET College.
NSFAS covers the costs of registration, tuition and provide students with various allowances. These allowances cover transport, living expenses and learning materials.
The following are the requirements for the NSFAS bursary:
- All South African citizens.
- All SASSA grant recipients.
- Applicants whose combined household income is not more than R350 000 per annum.
- Persons with a disability whose combined household income is not more than R600 000 per annum.
- Applicants who first registered at university before 2018 whose household income is not more than R122 000 per annum.
NSFAS currently funds more than one million tertiary students in South Africa. They have stated that students who received funding for the 2021 academic year do not have to reapply for 2022 funding.
NSFAS will consider your funding for 2022 based on your academic results and N+ period.
Students are funded for the duration of their studies granted that they pass their modules and meet the academic requirements.
NSFAS will fund students for the entire duration of their course or degree. Most degrees take about 3 to 4 years, whereas medical degrees for example take up to 7 years. However, they will fund an extra year of study should a student fail one year.
If you were rejected by NSFAS when you applied for the first time then you will have an appeal period which will be posted on their website. If you are rejected after the appeal then you can apply next year again.
Visit the NSFAS website for more information.
NSFAS students who received funding in 2021 do not have to reapply for 2022 funding. NSFAS will consider your funding for 2022 based on your academic results and N+ period.#NSFAS2022 | #GetYourShot pic.twitter.com/FwQpQAlDE1
— UFS (@UFSweb) November 15, 2021