Unisa NSFAS Allowance
There's always been a debate on NSFAS allowances when it comes to Unisa students. With Unisa being a distance university, what's included in the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursary is a little bit different than other university and TVET college students.
What Is Unisa?
The University of South Africa (Unisa) makes use of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) which allows students to pursue their degrees, diplomas and certificates by using online resources and study materials provided by Unisa themselves.
However, some courses offered at Unisa do require students to attend workshops and tutorials which take place outside their homes.
What is NSFAS?
NSFAS refers to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme which provides student funding in the form of bursaries to students from public universities and colleges. These students should come from poor and working class backgrounds.
Does NSFAS Fund Unisa Courses?
NSFAS does provide student funding at Unisa through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. The allocation of the NSFAS allowances to Unisa students from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is different, as the teaching course Unisa provides is different to that of other universities.
Which NSFAS Allowances Do Unisa Students Get?
Unisa students who have NSFAS funding only receive NSFAS allowances for Learning Materials and a Living Allowance.
Learning Material Allowance is calculated based on the number of modules registered. Unisa students will receive a R5 460 once-off amount for five or more modules.
This then means that should the amount of R5460 Learning Materials Allowance be paid for the first five modules, no additional Learning Materials Allowance will be paid for additional modules.
How Much Is Living Allowance for Unisa Students?
The Learning Material allowance is to be used for textbooks and other learning materials needed to complete their studies. Living Allowances are paid to students who are registered for ten or more modules.
This allowance for 2026 will be R304 per month.
Unfortunately, the accommodation allowance does not apply to Unisa students.
Do Unisa Students Get A Personal Care Allowance From NSFAS?
Unisa has also said that students registered for ten or more modules qualify for a personal care/incidental allowance of R304.50 per month for 10 months. The incidental allowance spans from February to November each year; incidental allowance helps cover student expenses during these months.
Besides paying NSFAS allowances, NSFAS will also pay for your tertiary education tuition fees and your registration fee.
Because Unisa lectures are online, the univesity does provide data for registered students to use for attending online classes, exams, etc.
How Unisa Registration Works For NSFAS-Funded Students
- First-time NSFAS applicants: Please ensure that you are temporarily registered during Unisa's registration period while waiting for NSFAS funding confirmation. If your NSFAS application is declined or delayed by the close of the registration period, you will be expected to find alternative funding before your registration will be activated.
- Returning NSFAS students who were funded in the year before but have not yet completed their qualification: Please ensure that you are temporarily registered during Unisa's registration period while waiting for NSFAS to confirm your funding.
- Returning NSFAS students who received funding the year before, have been declined for funding for the next year and have appealed the decision: Please pay the minimum registration fee while you wait for the NSFAS appeal decision, if you chose to do so.
How does NSFAS deposit student allowances?
NSFAS deposits student allowances using the NSFAS direct payment system. This means that students do not need to stress if their bank account verification fails.
So if your NSFAS application has been provisionally approved, then you do not need to pay the minimum registration fee. Your registration will be automatically activated based on the NSFAS funding confirmation received by Unisa.
All students funded by NSFAS who have paid the registration amount to activate their registration will be refunded once NSFAS has confirmed the successful processing of registration data to Unisa.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides fully subsidised free higher education and training for poor and working-class South Africans, which includes NSFAS allowances. NSFAS offers bursaries to South African students who plan to study at public universities and TVET colleges.
