Here Are The Appeal Reasons For NSFAS


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Not all the students who applied for NSFAS funding will be approved. However, these students can submit a NSFAS appeal. 


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The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving students. These students must be registered in an approved course at a public university or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges

NSFAS funding includes the money for tuition and registration fees. They also include several NSFAS allowances for students that aim to cover the costs students will incur during their quest to obtain a tertiary education qualification. 

NSFAS funding is highly sought after with many students submitting NSFAS applications annually. However, not all students who apply for NSFAS will be approved for funding. 

Students whose NSFAS applications are rejected are encouraged to submit a NSFAS appeal. There are several NSFAS appeals reasons under which students can submit one. 

A NSFAS appeal involves submitting various documents to substantiate their appeal, such as medical certificates, academic transcripts, or payslips, depending on the reason for the declined application.

A student must submit an appeal within 30 days of receiving their application results. To submit an appeal, he or she must first log in to his or her myNSFAS profile and provide the requested information.

Here Are The Appeal Reasons For NSFAS

Students submitting NSFAS appeals based on exceeding the income threshold of R350,000 must submit evidence of changes in household circumstances treshold is required. or proof of income falling below the threshold.

Income Thresholds NSFAS Appeal Reasons 

  • Students can submit an appeal if the financial circumstances of their household have changed since the submission of their application and evidence of this is provided to NSFAS.
  • Students can provide evidence that their household income is indeed below the threshold.
  • A key contributor to their household income has become incapacitated or is deceased since the submission of their application.
  • The student has been declared independent of their biological parents by a court and the court has determined that the parents are not responsible for the student’s/applicant’s maintenance, including the cost of his/her education.
  • The student/applicant is from a child-headed household and this is substantiated by a report from a social worker registered with the Department of Social Development.

Similarly, appeals for academic eligibility demand documentation of extenuating circumstances like severe illness, family bereavement, or disability.

Academic Eligibility NSFAS Appeal Reasons 

  • Students can submit an appeal if they are a continuing student who was not full-time equivalent (FTEN) or full-time funded (FTF) student in their previous academic term of study; AND
  • The student’s failure to complete their academic term successfully is due to severe ill health for an uninterrupted period of two or more months of the academic term or during examinations, or there has been death in his/her immediate family during the academic term, or the student was the subject of a violent crime, or the student was pregnant and gave birth during the academic term, and the institution has evaluated the student and completed the NSFAS standard propensity letter confirming the student will complete their qualification within an additional academic term; OR
  • The student with a disability must submit a medical report indicating that the student failed to complete their academic term due to the nature of their disability and the institution
  • The student can provide evidence that the academic results received by NSFAS are incorrect.
  • A continuing student who was an FTEN or FTF student in their previous academic term of study does not need to appeal as the student will automatically be funded for their next academic term, provided that all other eligibility criteria are met.

Students no longer meeting the N+ Rule may also appeal under specific conditions, such as severe health issues, disability, or nearing qualification completion. 

N+ Rule NSFAS Appeal Reasons 

  • The student’s failure to complete their academic term successfully is due to severe ill health for an uninterrupted period of two or more months of the academic term or during examinations, or there has been a death in his/her immediate family during the academic term, or the student was the subject of a violent crime, or the student was pregnant and gave birth during the academic term, OR
  • A student with a disability and a medical report indicates that the student failed to complete their academic term due to the nature of their disability and the institution has evaluated that the student has the propensity to complete their qualification within the additional academic term.
  • The student is a university student who can prove that he/she has 50% or less final year course credits to complete and achieve his/her qualification and the institution has evaluated that the student has the propensity to complete their qualification within an additional academic term. University students who fall into this category will be funded similarly to distance university students, provided that their appeal is successful; OR
  • The TVET student who can prove that he/she has two or fewer subjects left to complete their Report 191 qualification or three or fewer subjects to complete their NC(v) Qualification and the institution has evaluated that the student has the propensity to complete their qualification within an additional academic term. TVET students who fall into this category will be funded similarly to distance TVET students, provided that their appeal is successful; AND

In situations where a student has not been allowed to progress academically by an institution, appeals about this must be directed at the institution.

Appeals from students who were rejected for financial aid by NSFAS due to data or information errors submitted by them will only be considered if

  • The error does not relate to an error in the ID number, first name, or surname of the student entered on the application – students must submit their correct identity details as it appears on their ID documentation. Failure to do so will result in applications being rejected. Should the application window still be open, students may reapply for funding.
  • The student provided sufficient evidence that the data or information submitted was indeed incorrect.

It's crucial to understand that appeals cannot be lodged for qualifications not funded by NSFAS or if certain progression limits have been reached.

Failure to provide adequate evidence or validate supporting documentation within the stipulated time frames may lead to appeal rejection. 

NSFAS Appeal Considerations 

NSFAS retains the right to validate all appeal documentation and may dismiss appeals if supporting evidence cannot be confirmed, especially if based solely on affidavits.

For those eligible to appeal, the process involves logging into their myNSFAS account, checking the application progress tabs, and submitting the appeal with certified supporting documents. NSFAS aims to respond to appeals within 30 days.

Once the appeal process is completed, students can track its progress on their myNSFAS portal. However, certain criteria exclude students from appealing, such as being registered for a qualification not funded by NSFAS or having reached N+2 (or N+3 for students with disabilities).

Suggested Article:

NSFAS students

Students who applied for NSFAS are encouraged to check their NSFAS status. Here's what a 'Registration Received' NSFAS status means.






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Post-Matric Options

 

We helped you with past papers for your matric exams, so hopefully you are happy with your Matric results. So now you are faced with a lot of post-matric options that can shape your future paths. You might want to study law, teaching, or nursing. Of course studying is expensive so we have helpful advice about student loans, NSFAS bursaries, Fundi loans, ISFAP, and lots of other funding options.

These options range from pursuing higher education at universities , TVET Colleges or  private colleges, finding student accommodation, entering vocational training programs (like Learnerships and internships), joining the workforce, or even starting your own business. There are so many choices but we are here to help.

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