The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides bursaries to students from poor and working-class backgrounds, which allows them to obtain tertiary education qualifications from public universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.
If you have submitted a NSFAS application and received an “Applicant Is Deceased” status, this means that third-party verification data collected by NSFAS is indicating that you are deceased.
If you (the applicant) are not dead, then the "Applicant Is Dead" status is clearly wrong.
Two scenarios apply in this case:
- The applicant applying is using someone else’s name who is deceased and (could be) trying to commit fraud.
- Department of Home Affairs (DHA) information on their system is wrong. In this case, applicants cannot appeal and they must visit the DHA to correct the information.
NSFAS bursary applicants must ensure the ID number they enter is correct to avoid an unnecessary rejection message.
Bursaries from NSFAS cover tuition and accommodation fees for students who are approved for funding and who are registered at tertiary education intuition. These students will also receive meal, transport and textbook allowances.
Students are encouraged to submit applications before the upcoming deadline.