The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a financial aid scheme that provides higher education funding to South African students who would like to study at TVET Colleges or public universities.
NSFAS aims to fund those interested in studying further but cannot afford to do so. The bursary offers two types of funding, which includes university funding and TVET College funding.
Their funding goes beyond tuition fees. However, only certain students are eligible.
Those eligible for NSFAS university funding will receive tuition fees, accommodation fees, transport allowances, living allowances, book allowances and incidental or personal care allowances.
So how does it all work?
After you apply and are approved, NSFAS then waits for registration data from your University or TVET College. They will then pay your registration fee and your tuition fees for the year.
NSFAS Allowances for University Students
At the beginning of the year, for as long as you're funded, you will receive a R5200 learning materials allowance.
Every month, you will also get your accommodation and living allowances, if you live away from home, or transport allowance if you still live at home.
Some students will also get a personal or incidental allowance every month as well.
NSFAS Allowances for TVET Students
Every month, you will receive your accommodation allowance if you live away from home.
If you've decided to live at home while you study and you live 40km away from your campus, you will then receive a transport allowance every month.
Some students will also receive a personal care allowance every month.
After NSFAS was changed from a loan scheme to a bursary scheme in 2018, you will not have to pay them anything back. This applies to both University and TVET students.
To qualify for NSFAS university funding, students will have to meet the following criteria:
- Must be a South African citizen.
- Academically deserving and can demonstrate the ability to succeed in your studies.
- Applied or are applying to study at a public university for a qualification.
- You need to have passed Grade 12 to receive NSFAS funding to study at a university.
- Applicants whose combined household income is not more than R350 000 per annum
- A person with a disability with a combined household income of no more than R600 000 per annum.
- Students who started studying before 2018 whose household income is not more than R122 000 per annum.
Those who applied for NSFAS TVET College funding have to meet the following criteria:
- Must be a South African citizen.
- Must be registered or intending to register on a PLP, NC(V) or Report 191 programme at any of the fifty (50) public TVET Colleges in South Africa.
- Must require financial assistance.
- You need to pass Grade 9, 10, 11, or 12.
- Should you be a returning student, you must demonstrate proven and accepted academic performance in line with the College’s progression policy or the progression prescriptions of the Bursary Rules and Guidelines (whichever is higher).
- Must not be enrolling for a qualification that duplicates previous learning that was state-funded.
- Household income is less than R350,000 per year.
If you meet these requirements, then you will be eligible for NSFAS TVET College funding which covers tuition fees, accommodation fees, and transport allowances.
Students may apply for funding via the NSFAS website. These students will need the following documents to apply:
- SA ID document or Unabridged Birth Certificate
- Their parents or guardians ID documents.
- Consent Form, which is available on the NSFAS website.
