NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) is a South African government financial aid scheme that provides funding to eligible South African undergraduate students who are studying at public universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. NSFAS was established in 1999 with the aim of providing financial assistance to students from poor and working-class families who would otherwise be unable to afford higher education. The scheme offers bursaries to cover tuition fees, accommodation, and other living expenses for qualifying students.
The beginning of the academic year brings about a new class of university and college freshmen, many of whom have applied for bursary funding and have yet to receive their funding outcome.
It is known that NSFAS is one of the most sought after bursary options in the country. This has largely to do with the fact that the bursary:
- Covers a variety of courses, so long as they are being studied at a registered public institution in the country.
- The eligibility requirements for the bursary are not academically competitive, and rather largely rely on the applicant’s ability to prove financial need.
- The NSFAS provides bursaries and loans to students to cover tuition fees, accommodation and study materials, and the funding is provided directly to universities and colleges. The scheme has helped thousands of South African students to access higher education and improve their career prospects.
NSFAS is a South African government-funded organisation that provides financial assistance in the form of bursaries to eligible students who are unable to afford the cost of tertiary education on their own. The aim of NSFAS is to make higher education accessible to students from disadvantaged and lower-income backgrounds, thus promoting a more equitable society. To qualify for NSFAS funding, students must meet certain academic, financial and other criteria.
These are not all the reasons why students pursue NSFAS bursaries, but they attribute to the accessibility of the bursary. Thus, because of its accessibility to prospective tertiary students, each year, NSFAS ends up receiving typically around 1 million applications.
As a result of this high volume, it is important that students keep track of their own funding applications to ensure that they manage to proceed accordingly depending on the response they receive.
It is very important to track your application by doing a NSFAS status check.
There are multiple online means of keeping track, which include using the myNSFAS portal, keeping track via WhatsApp, and so on.
How To Track Your NSFAS Application Via WhatsApp
- Adding the number 078 519 8006
- Starting a conversation with the number, and going from there
Alternatively, as mentioned above, students can track their funding by logging into the myNSFAS portal. Otherwise, they can also dial *120*67327# and follow the prompts to begin their tracking.
NSFAS has helped many people in South Africa to pursue higher education by providing them with financial aid. Through its programmes, NSFAS has made it possible for thousands of students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds to access tertiary education, which they may not have been able to afford otherwise. In doing so, NSFAS has contributed to promoting a more equal society by providing opportunities for social mobility and improving access to education for historically marginalised communities.