The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was formed in terms of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. NSFAS is a bursary scheme which provides poor and working-class South African students with fully subsidised free higher education and training.
NSFAS’s vision is to provides students from poor and working class families with financial aid, to undertake studies at public universities and TVET colleges.
ABOUT NSFAS PROGRAMME
On 16 December 2017, former president, Jacob Zuma, announced that the South African government would phase in “fully subsidised free higher education and training for poor and working class South African students”.
The funding would be phased in over a period of 5 years and thus the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Bursary Scheme was established.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must ensure that they satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying:
- South African citizen
- Receive a SASSA grant
- Total household income is R350 000 or less per annum
- Applying to study at a TVET College or public university
- Already registered as a university student with a total household income of under R122 000 per annum
- Passed grade 9 and grade 10 to receive funding to study at TVET College
- Passed Matric to receive funding to study at University
- Registering for your first time at a public university for an undergraduate qualification or registered at a public TVET College for a National Certificate Vocational/ report 191 programme
Do NOT apply if you meet the following criteria:
- Foreign student (NOT a South African citizen)
- Total household income is over R350 000 per annum
- Completed a previous tertiary qualification
- Already applied and received funding
COVERAGE VALUE
The DHET Bursary will provide cover for the following study related expenses:
- Registration fee
- Tuition fee
- Subsidised book allowances
- Prescribed learning materials (up to a certain amount, as set by NSFAS)
- Subsidised accommodation (up to a certain amount, as set by NSFAS)
- Subsidised meal allowances
HOW TO APPLY
There are 3 ways in which you can apply:
METHOD 1: On the NSFAS website (if you wish to apply online, follow the instructions below)
1) Create your myNSFAS account here: https://my.nsfas.org.za/mynsfas/selfservice.html
You will be required to provide the following information when registering an account: username, password, ID number, cellphone number and email address
2) You can then login using your selected username and password
3) Complete the application form by clicking the “apply” button
4) When you have filled in all the required information (do not leave any fields blank), you can upload electronic copies of your supporting documents (as listed below). Once all your documents have been uploaded, click the “submit” button to receive your reference number.
METHOD 2: At your closest NYDA Centre
1) Visit a NYDA centre/ office closest to you
2) A NYDA centre worker will explain the application process and provide you with an application form to complete
3) Complete the application form in CAPITAL letters with a black pen and sign it in the allocated spots
4) Hand in your application form and supporting documents (as listed below). Ensure that your supporting documents are certified on the front of the page and not be older than 3 months.
5) You will receive a receipt card with a bar code attached
METHOD 3: At a Financial Aid Office on campus/ computer lab
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application be disregarded):
- ID document/ ID card (certified copy and electronic copy)
- Unabridged birth certificate (if you do not have an ID document or ID card) (certified copy and electronic copy)
- Parents/ guardians ID documents (certified copy and electronic copy)
- Parents/ guardians death certificate (if applicable) (certified copy and electronic copy)
- Payslips/ employment letters/ pension advice (not older than 3 months) (do not submit SASSA slips. SASSA should be excluded from household income) (certified copy and electronic copy)
- Contact details (cellphone number/ email address where NSFAS can communicate with you throughout the application process, as well as to provide feedback on the outcome of your application)
- NSFAS Consent Form pdf– completed and signed by parents/ guardians
- If disabled, complete and include the NSFAS Disability Annexure A (.pdf)
- If orphaned, complete and include the NSFAS Declaration Form (.pdf) – to be signed by an Isibindi Child Youth Care Worker/ a social worker from the Department of Social Development and submitted to an Isibindi Centre/ NYDA office
CONTACT THE BURSARY PROVIDER
For any queries related to this bursary programme, please contact NSFAS directly:
Tel: 0860 067 327
Email: info@nsfas.org.za
Nsfas online application : How to Apply