As the beginning of the 2023 academic year approaches, thousands of new students will apply for funding to cover the cost of their academic journey. One government bursary scheme received more than one million bursary applications.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) has received more than one million funding applications for the 2023 academic year. This was relieved by the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Buti Manamela.
Manamela was explaining that Nsfas had already approved funding applications from more than 100,000 Nsfas applicants, as they met the criteria needed by Nsfas to receive funding confirmation immediately.
One of the main qualifying conditions for the Nsfas bursary is that applicants have a combined household income of less than R350,000 for able bodied students and R600,000 for students living with disabilities.
However, students who are beneficiaries of grants distributed by the South Africa Social Security Agency (Sassa) have already met this income threshold criteria. Due to their status as a Sassa grant beneficiary, applicants’ Nsfas applications will be instantly approved.
“To date, the scheme has received over 1 million applications and only 130,000 of these are Sassa beneficiaries and have been instantly funded,” said Buti Manamela.
Nsfas applicants who are not Sassa grant beneficiaries will have to wait until Nsfas receives confirmation that they have received an academic offer to study at a public university or Technical and Vocational Education and Training college before their funding is confirmed.
Manamela explained “The Minister wished to also remind students that application results will be communicated to all applicants once Nsfas has received confirmation from the institution that an academic offer has been made. This will be communicated to all students via SMS, email and through students’ myNSFAS accounts.”
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande will host a media briefing to announce the Post School Education and Training sector’s state of readiness for the 2023 academic year.
Nsfas provides comprehensive bursaries to students from poor and working-class backgrounds. The financial aid scheme will cover a student’s tuition fees and provide students with living, transportation, and stationery allowances.
Nsfas applications for the 2023 academic year are still open. Interested individuals can submit a Nsfas applications if they meet the qualifying criteria.
