The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provided funding to students from poor and working-class families which enabled the student to obtain their first tertiary education qualification.
NSFAS provides comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving learners enrolled in approved courses at universities and TVET colleges. The funding includes money for tuition and registration fees as several allowances for living expenses, accommodation and learning materials.
The main criteria students must meet to qualify for an NSFAS bursary is that they must meet the financial eligibility criteria along with several other academic requirements.
How NSFAS Is Assessing Financial Eligibility For Bursaries
NSFAS has revealed it uses stringent financial eligibility criteria to determine whether a student qualifies for funding. These criteria apply to both first-time applicants and returning students.
According to NSFAS, able-bodied students must have a household income not exceeding R350,000 to qualify for NSFAS bursary. Disabled students may have a household income of up to R600,000. For non-Sassa recipients, household income is calculated differently based on marital status and guardianship.
For unmarried students, it includes the income of both biological/adoptive parents. If under legal guardianship, it's the combined income of the legal guardian and the student. For married students, it's the total income of the spouse and the student. Unmarried, independent students meeting specific criteria are exempted from providing the NSFAS declaration form.
Sassa Beneficiaries
Students receiving support from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) automatically meet the financial eligibility criteria if they are registered at an institution and meet academic requirements.
NSFAS utilises third-party data sources, in addition to declared household income, to assess an applicant's financial eligibility. Students are encouraged to submit accurate information and signed NSFAS consent forms to allow the government bursary scheme to facilitate this assessment.
