The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides bursaries to students from poor and working class background. Do they fund Unisa students though?
Seeing that NSFAS funds students who attend TVET Colleges and public Universities in South Africa, Unisa being a public University means that Unisa students can get funded by NSFAS.
NSFAS applications are mainly done online.
Should you encounter issues or difficulties when applying, you can visit a National Youth Development Agency Centre, a Thusong Centre, or one of the NSFAS walk-in centre, where a NSFAS representative will be to help you.
Who qualifies to apply at Unisa?
- SASSA grant recipients (excluding the SASSA SRD grant)
- You must have a total combined household income that is NOT more than R350 000 per annum.
- If you are living with a disability, you must then have a total combined household income NOT more than R600 000 per annum.
- Prospective students who applied for admission to the 2022 academic year for a first undergraduate qualification
- Returning students who took a gap year in 2021 (i.e. did not study in 2021), who have an incomplete undergraduate qualification, and who have not exceeded the N+ rule.
- NSFAS approved returning and new students in 2021 who did not study during the 2021 academic year.
- Students funded by other NSFAS bursaries who wish to switch to the NSFAS DHET grant
- Returning students who have no funding
If you have already completed an undergraduate degree or diploma, looking forward to being funded for a Short Learning Certificate or Programme or postgraduate qualification and if you’re not a South African citizen - your NSFAS application will not be considered.
