Are you ready to apply for NSFAS bursary funding but not sure where to start? This guide explains the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) application process in simple steps to help you secure funding for your studies at TVET colleges or public universities in South Africa.

📌 What is NSFAS?

NSFAS is a government scheme that offers financial assistance to deserving South African students for registration, tuition, books, accommodation, transport, food, and personal care needs. Over the past 28 years, NSFAS has helped more than 4 million students achieve their education dreams.

✅ Who Qualifies for NSFAS?

You can apply if you are:

• A South African citizen

• A SASSA grant recipient

• From a household earning less than R350,000 per year

• A person with a disability from a household earning less than R600,000 per year

• A student who first registered at university before 2018 with a household income of less than R122,000 per year

❌ Who Should Not Apply?

• Students who have completed a previous qualification (unless applying for an approved funded postgraduate qualification)

• Students already funded by NSFAS for the duration of their studies

📝 Documents Needed for NSFAS Application

Here’s what you need to prepare:

✔️ Copy of your South African ID

✔️ Consent from parent(s), guardian, or spouse to use their personal information

✔️ If dependent on parents or spouse:

• Their ID copies

• Proof of income (payslips or appointment letters)

  
  

✔️ If self-sufficient:

• Proof of income

• Latest IRP5 form

  
  

✔️ If you have a disability:

• Completed Disability Annexure A Form

  
  

✔️ If under 18 or a vulnerable child:

• Completed Vulnerable Child Declaration and Consent Form from a social worker

  
  

✔️ Other documents if applicable:

• Retrenchment letter

• Death certificates

• Divorce decree

🔴 Note: SASSA recipients do not need to submit proof of income. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, certified documents are not required.

💻 How to Apply for NSFAS – Step by Step

1. Create a myNSFAS Account

   
   

Go to www.nsfas.org.za, click myNSFAS, then REGISTER. Provide:

• Your valid email address & cellphone number

• Your South African ID number

✔️ You’ll receive a One Time Pin (OTP) via SMS and email. Enter it to confirm your account.

2. Complete Your Application

3. Click the ‘Apply’ tab on your myNSFAS profile

4. Confirm your pre-populated personal details

5. Fill in any additional required fields

6. Upload all supporting documents

7. Agree to the terms and conditions

8. Click ‘Submit’

✔️ You will receive an Application Reference Number by SMS and email.

3. Track Your Application

Log in to your myNSFAS account anytime to track your application status.

🤔 Forgot Your myNSFAS Password or Username?

1. Go to www.nsfas.org.za

2. Click myNSFAS then Forgot Password

3. Enter your ID number and choose to reset your password or username

4. Follow the SMS and email prompts to update your login details

💡 Final Tips

✅ Always provide the correct ID number, name, and surname as in your ID document

✅ Keep your myNSFAS username and password safe and confidential

📣 Useful NSFAS Contacts

🌐 Website: www.nsfas.org.za

📧Facebook: National Student Financial Aid Scheme

📷 Instagram: myNSFAS

🐦 Twitter: myNSFAS

🔗 Source

This blog is based on the NSFAS 2021 Application How to Apply Digital Brochure, available on NSFAS official site.

NSFAS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

✅ Q1: What is NSFAS?

A: NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) is a government program that provides loans and grants to help students from poor households access higher education and training in South Africa.

✅ Q2: Who qualifies for NSFAS funding?

A: Students from households earning less than R122,000 per year qualify, though there are calls to raise this threshold to include more students from middle-income families who still cannot afford tuition.

✅ Q3: What does NSFAS funding cover?

A: Funding can cover tuition fees, accommodation, food, books, transport, and other study-related expenses. TVET grants are direct and not repayable, while university loans are repayable but may be converted partly into bursaries.

✅ Q4: Do NSFAS loans have to be repaid?

A: Yes, university loans are repayable after graduation based on income. Repayments start when a graduate earns over R30,000 per year, at rates between 3% and 8% of gross income.

✅ Q5: How does NSFAS incentivise student success?

A: NSFAS converts parts of student loans into bursaries if students meet academic goals. Final-year loans can be fully converted upon graduation, encouraging students to complete their studies.

✅ Q6: Why is NSFAS important for South Africa?

A: It helps break the cycle of poverty by enabling youth from poor households to obtain tertiary education, boosting skills development and economic inclusion nationwide.

✅ Q7: What is the new student-centred NSFAS model?

A: The new model centralises applications, verifies eligibility automatically, and sustains funding as long as students meet academic requirements. It prioritises full coverage for some students rather than partial awards to many.

✅ Q8: What challenges does NSFAS face?

A: Challenges include low loan repayment rates, outdated repayment thresholds, funding limits not matching rising tuition costs, and administrative inconsistencies across institutions.

✅ Q9: Has NSFAS funding increased over time?

A: Yes. Funding rose from R3.7 billion in 2010 to R9 billion in 2014, supporting nearly 425,000 students by 2014.

✅ Q10: What are the National Development Plan goals related to NSFAS?

A: Goals include increasing higher education participation to 25%, raising graduates to 425,000 by 2030, and improving throughput rates to 75%, which would require doubling NSFAS loan disbursements.

✅ Q11. What is the 'missing middle'?

These are students from working-class families who earn too much to qualify for NSFAS but cannot afford to pay for university themselves. The government is exploring ways to support them.

✅ Q12. Where can I read the full NSFAS Performance and Expenditure Review (PER) report?

The full report is available at www.gtac.gov.za/programmes-and-services/public-expenditure-and-policy-analysis.