NSFAS funding open until 31 Jan, SASSA beneficiaries to receive instant funding approval
Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande has reminded
university and TVET students who need funding assistance for the 2023 academic
year that applications for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme
(NSFAS) will only close on the 31st of January.
Nzimande briefed the media on the state of readiness for the post-school education and training sector for the 2023 academic year.
Nzimande says his department will be able to fund all qualifying students on the Department of Higher Education and Training bursary scheme who have been admitted for funded programmes at public TVET colleges and universities.
As of Friday, a total of 1 131 419 applications have already been received through the scheme’s online application portal and 156 700 of these applications are from SASSA beneficiaries.
Nzimande says all SASSA beneficiaries have received instant funding approval, pending registration at any of the public universities or TVET colleges.
"NSFAS will release application results for those who applied for funding for the first time and returning students on 06 February 2023 while the funded list for continuing students has been released today, the 24th of January,” he says.
“It is important for unsuccessful applicants to note that they have the opportunity to appeal such NSFAS decisions by submitting relevant supporting documents between the 20th of January and the 20th of February 2023.”
“All application decisions, including the appeal option and appeal processes, will be available to applicants through the myNSFAS portal accessible via the NSFAS website; www.nsfas.org.za," says Nzimande.
Nzimande says NSFAS will make upfront payments to institutions to cover costs related to registration, tuition fees, and living allowances.
READ: No late applications or walk-ins accepted, warns UKZN
“NSFAS is currently finalising this upfront payment schedule for payment to universities and TVET Colleges and payments will be made by end of January,” he says.
This means that all NSFAS-funded students will be registered by all the institutions without paying an upfront registration fee.
“Those who have applied for NSFAS funding for 2023 are encouraged to log onto their myNSFAS accounts to track their applications," says Nzimande.
