Why You Should Make Sure To Submit The Correct Documents For A NSFAS Appeal

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides financial aid to thousands of South Africa's students who are pursuing tertiary education. However, not every application can be accepted.

Luckily, NSFAS allows for a second chance for your online application to be reconsidered, by submitting what is known as an appeal. However, submitting the incorrect supporting documents with your appeal can stall the process and may hinder you from being considered for funding. 

The bursary scheme has stated that:

We have noted that a significant number of students with appeals that do not have the relevant supporting documents. We urge students to please assist the process of appeals by submitting the correct supporting documents when requested to do so. 

NSFAS Appeals usually open in January and close some time in February. You should do a NSFAS status check to see the progress of your bursary funding or appeal.

During that appeals application period, NSFAS received more than 1 million bursary applications through the myNsfas portal. At least 156 000 students have already been approved for funding in 2023. 

Here’s How To Appeal An Unsuccessful NSFAS Application 

1. Go to myNSFAS
2. Log into your myNSFAS account.
3. Click the 'Track Funding Progress' option.
4. Check the application progress tabs.
5. If your application status reflects an unsuccessful message, you may submit an appeal by clicking on the 'Submit Appeal Tab'.
6. Once you are on the 'Application Appeal' page, you can see the reason for your unsuccessful application status.
7. You are then able to choose the appeal reason.
8. Upload certified supporting documents to support your reason.
9. Click 'Submit Appeal'.

Bursary applications to NSFAS are usually rejected by the scheme due to students not having met the required funding criteria.

The bursary scheme has emphasized on multiple occasions that all students who exceeded N+2 or N+3 are unable to appeal their unsuccessful application. Currently, the N+1 rule is in place, which implies that students only have N+1 years to finish a degree.

“N” is the minimum number of years allocated to complete a qualification (i.e., record time). The “+1” refers to the extra year that a student may need to complete the qualification (making the maximum time). However, whether you can appeal or not is conditional. 

To be able to submit a NSFAS appeal, these are some of the documents that students are required to submit to substantiate their appeal:

1. Medical certificate
2. Death certificate of an immediate family member
3. Academic transcript
4. Payslips or more depending on the reason for declined application status

NSFAS says appeals are currently being processed. Once the process is complete, the NSFAS student portal and funding lists will be updated.