Thusong Service Centres are one-stop, integrated community development centres, with community participation and services relevant to people's needs. They aim to empower the poor and disadvantaged through access to information, services and resources from government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), parastatals, business, etc. enabling them to engage in government programmes for the improvement of their lives.
Application results will be communicated to all applicants once NSFAS received confirmation from the Institution that an academic offer has been made to you. This will be communicated to you before the start of the academic year via SMS, email and through your myNSFAS account.
An affidavit will be accepted; however, your employment status will be verified through government entities and 3rd party agencies.
No, if you are currently funded by NSFAS, you are not required to reapply.
All applicants are required to submit: Certified copy of your ID, not older than 3 months A signed and completed consent form. If you are dependent on your parents/guardian/spouse, please provide: Certified ID copies of parent/s, guardian, spouse not older than 3 months Proof of income of parent, guardian or spouse (payslip or appointment letter If you are self-sufficient (no parent/guardian support) please provide: Proof of income (payslip or appointment letter). If you have a disability, please provide: Completed and signed Annexure A (if your information is not pre-populated on the portal). If you are an orphan, please provide: Completed and signed Declaration Form, Other documents required, if applicable: Retrenchment letter / UIF documentation; Death certificate/s; Divorce decree.
An affidavit by your parent/guardian will be required as proof. Your parents/guardian income will be verified by 3rd party agencies.
Students on a full NSFAS bursary may not receive another full cost of study bursary from another source at the same time. If a student receives a partial bursary from another source, a NSFAS bursary may be awarded, but the allocations must be reduced accordingly, so that the student is supported fully for their studies. NSFAS may not pay for amounts already covered by another funder. Any excess funding must be refunded to NSFAS by the Institution. A student may not receive funding in excess of the DHET National Rules and guidelines.
These are physical sites located within the districts which are easily accessible to all teachers from schools in the district. From these District Teacher Development Centres (DTDCs) curriculum support staff can operate, teachers can access resources, Continued Professional Teaching Development (CPTD) courses are delivered and teacher Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) can meet. Vodacom and UNISA partner with the DBE in to develop the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) skills of teachers and have equipped the majority of the 147 DTDCs with ICT resources and internet connectivity. This makes the DTDCs hubs of digital teaching and learning which also offer services to learners in the district and members of the community in which they are based. A list of participating Teachers Centres is attached. All learners who wish to utilize such services, must make an appointment with the Centre manager.
You can click the option to resend a One Time Pin (OTP) for another one to be sent to you.
Did you know that repayment of your study loan is only due once you have secured employment? If you received a study loan in 2017 and prior, an interest holiday of 12 months post exit date is applicable to student loan accounts.
No. NSFAS funding covers approved funded programmes at universities which are all undergraduate whole qualifications i.e. degree and diploma.
You may speak to a Life Orientation educator or principal to direct you to your nearest Department of Social Development with the area.
You need to have passed Grade 9 to 12 to receive NSFAS funding to study at a TVET college and Grade 12 to receive funding to study at a university or TVET college. If you are approved for NSFAS funding, you will be required to meet the academic admission requirements of the university or TVET college before NSFAS allocates any funding to you.
Yes, you may apply for funding. You will be required to apply during the application period. Please note that if you have been registered prior to 2018 your combined household income must not exceed R122 000 per annum. If you were registered in or after 2018 for the first time your combined household income must not exceed R350 00 per annum.
Visit www.nsfas.org.za to find an application centre closest to you.
Yes. Students with disabilities are encouraged to apply for financial assistance. NSFAS provides special disability funding to all approved students with disabilities at any of the 26 public universities or 50 TVET colleges. The applicant’s household income must not exceed R600 000 per year.
Check your application status by logging into your myNSFAS account and track your application progess. The page will advise on what stage your application is.
To create an email account is easy and free. Please create an email address through Gmail, Yahoo, Webmail or any other free email service provider to ensure you receive relevant communication from NSFAS.
Yes, you may apply if you are a South African citizen studying at a public university or TVET college. If you have been registered and started studying before 2018, your combined household income must not be more than R122 000 per annum for you to qualify. However, if you were registered in or after 2018 for the first time, your combined household income must not be more than R350 000 per year.
NSFAS funds a student for the duration of studies therefore NSFAS does not require the student to apply every semester or year. When a student is approved for funding it is for the whole academic year, and subsequent years after, provided that the student meets the academic progression requirements.
Check your application status by logging into your myNSFAS account and track your application. If you do not have a myNSFAS account, visit www.nsfas.org.za for the steps on how to create your myNSFAS account.
You will be required to submit a letter of employment indicating your parent/guardian's income.
All eligible students who fall within the R350 000 household income bracket, and have been admitted at universities and TVET colleges, will be funded.
To apply online, you will need a functioning cellphone, a valid cellphone number and your own email address. If you don't have a cellphone, you may use the cellphone of a trusted guardian or relative, but it is best to have your own cellphone device and number. No two applicants may use the same cell phone number or email address. This information is needed to create a myNSFAS account which you will use to apply for funding.
To update your cellphone number or email address, log on to your myNSFAS account using your Username (email address) and password. Once you have logged in click Personal Details on the top of your screen. You will then be able to update your cellphone number and email address.
NSFAS will only provide financial assistance to eligible students who have applied and have been accepted at public universities and TVET colleges for an approved funded programme. We do not provide funding if you will be studying or already studying at a private institution.
The cost covered can include tuition, registration and allowances based on each student’s study circumstance. NSFAS provides funding to all approved students to cover the cost of tuition and registration. NSFAS funded students who wish to study at a university will receive additional allowances to cover the cost of books, transport, accommodation, food and personal care. NSFAS funded students who wish to study at a TVET college will receive additional allowances to cover the cost of transport, accommodation inclusive of meals and personal care. NSFAS funded students with disability, receive the funding according to the TVET and university allowance list; inclusive of supporting devices such as wheelchairs, special computer devices and human support depending on the student's needs.
If an applicant is not satisfied with the results of their applications, they can appeal this decision by completing the appeal process either available through their myNSFAS account for first time entering students or at the institutions financial aid for continuing students for continuing or senior students.
A student can only be funded for one qualification at one institution at any one time. If the student completed a N6 qualification at a TVET college, he/she may be funded at a university. Once your N6 is complete you will need to apply for funding for university.
Yes, to be funded for the university qualification in 2021, you need to have passed and completed your 2020 TVET qualification. You need to ensure that you apply at the university for a NSFAS funded course, once you have been admitted at the university, the university will send us a registration details that will confirm your registration, we will then change your funding from TVET to university.
Yes. Registration costs are usually the first payment made towards your tuition costs, and if you have been confirmed for funding by NSFAS, universities and TVET colleges will not expect you to pay the registration fees upfront.
Students who have already obtained a prior university qualification do not qualify and should not apply for funding. Students who have completed TVET N6 qualifications cannot be funded at a TVET college again but can be funded at university.
Based on the application type, the system will generate a list of required documents for upload. We do not accept any affidavits or driver’s license as proof of ID.
Enjoy the convenience of anytime, anywhere online application from your phone, tablet, or computer. Registration and application are free and easy.
Your ID number is your username. Please keep all your personal information in a safe place.
In terms of the South African legal framework, biological parents are primarily responsible for the student’s maintenance, which includes the provision of education, of their biological children (including those above the age of 18), irrespective of the relationship between parents or the relationship between parents and their children.
The information allows NSFAS to share funding related information with all institutions that the applicant may have applied to study at.
This information will feed into understanding applicant study decisions. Further to this, this information may allow NSFAS to further unsuccessful applicants to other funders.
No, the student must create a new profile. The username will then be converted into the student's ID number.
Yes
They should be able to, but we need confirmation that they have been migrated. Yes
Yes
Yes
Applicants who are approved for NSFAS funding are covered for:
After your funding is confirmed, you may also receive allowances for the following:
Visit www.nsfas.org.za to see the list of NSFAS funded qualifications and institutions.
Must be South African citizen / permanent resident Combined gross household income should not exceed R350 000 per annum Combined gross household income (persons living with disabilities) should not exceed R600 000 per annum SASSA recipients automatically qualify on financial eligibility Must have email and cell phone number. Students who started studying before 2018 with a combined household income of not more than R122 000 per annum.
The correct supporting documents are important in ensuring that NSFAS process your funding application in time for your registration at an institution of higher learning. The required supporting documents are:
NB: No affidavitswill be accepted as proof for any funding requirement
TYOU CAN APPLY ONLINE VIA WWW.NSFAS.ORG.ZA USING A CELLPHONE, TABLET AND COMPUTER. FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE STEPS TO APPLY:
If you do not have a digital devise or access to the internet, do not stress, simply pop into your nearest National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) or Thusong Centre to apply following the same steps.
The system validates all information as received from the Department of Home Affairs. Ensure that you type in your ID number, name/s and surname exactly as they appear on your ID document or birth certificate.
No. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, NSFAS has removed the requirement for documents to be certified.
Yes, if you applied for NSFAS in 2022 or prior years and your application was not approved but you still need funding for 2023, you may apply again if they meet the funding criteria.
Yes. After your NSFAS application is approved, you have a year to register at a TVET college or university. If your NSFAS funding application for the 2020 academic year was approved and you failed to register for a full year, you need to apply again.
Yes. To be funded for an approved university qualification in 2022, you need to have passed and completed your TVET qualification. You also need to ensure that you apply at the university for a NSFAS funded course.
To apply for NSFAS funding, you will need a functioning cellphone, a valid cellphone number and your own email address. You may also use a tablet or computer If you don’t have a cellphone, you may use the cellphone of a trusted guardian or relative, but it is best to have your own cellphone number. No two applicants may use the same cellphone number or email address. This information is needed to create a myNSFAS account which you will use to apply for funding.
You can click on the option to resend an OTP for another one to be sent to you.
The verification of your ID number, name and surname is done immediately when creating your myNSFAS account. We use the verified details from DHA, if the information is incorrect, you will need to contact DHA to rectify it.
Follow the steps below to reset your myNSFAS login details:
Yes, students may resubmit after withdrawing their application as long as they resubmit before the closing date
All students must re-apply for funding as and when they move through the NSFAS funding progression pathway. In practice, this means that a university student that is being funded for a qualification that is a "Certificate" Qualification NSFAS Category must reapply for funding as and when they expect to achieve the "Certificate" qualification and would like NSFAS to provide funding for their "Undergraduate" qualification.
Field of Study | Code | Field of Study | Code |
Adult Learning | NSFAS2201 | Mechatronics | NSFAS2238 |
Media Studies | NSFAS2239 | ||
Building Construction | NSFAS2202 | Music | NSFAS2240 |
Civil Engineering Construction | NSFAS2203 | Nature Conservation | NSFAS2241 |
Cleaning, Domestic, Hiring, Property and Rescue Services | NSFAS2204 | Occupationally Directed ETD Practice | NSFAS2242 |
Communication Studies | NSFAS2205 | Office Administration | NSFAS2243 |
Consumer Services | NSFAS2206 | People/Human-Centered Development | NSFAS2244 |
Cultural Studies | NSFAS2207 | Performing Arts | NSFAS2245 |
Curative Health | NSFAS2208 | Personal Care | NSFAS2246 |
Design Studies | NSFAS2209 | Physical Planning, Design and Management | NSFAS2247 |
Drawing Office Practice | NSFAS2210 | Physical Sciences | NSFAS2248 |
Early Childhood Development | NSFAS2211 | Preventive Health | NSFAS2249 |
Earth and Space Sciences | NSFAS2212 | Primary Agriculture | NSFAS2250 |
Electrical Infrastructure Construction | NSFAS2213 | Process Instrumentation | NSFAS2251 |
Engineering and Related Design | NSFAS2214 | Process Plant Operations | NSFAS2252 |
Environmental Relations | NSFAS2215 | Procurement | NSFAS2253 |
Environmental Sciences | NSFAS2216 | Project Management | NSFAS2254 |
Fabrication and Extraction | NSFAS2217 | Promotive Health and Developmental Services | NSFAS2255 |
Film Television and Video | NSFAS2218 | Psychology | NSFAS2256 |
Finance, Economics and Accounting | NSFAS2219 | Public Administration | NSFAS2257 |
Forestry and Wood Technology | NSFAS2220 | Public Policy, Politics and Democratic Citizenship | NSFAS2258 |
General Social Science | NSFAS2221 | Public Relations | NSFAS2259 |
Generic | NSFAS2222 | Rehabilitative Health/Services | NSFAS2260 |
Generic Management | NSFAS2223 | Religious and Ethical Foundations of Society | NSFAS2261 |
Higher Education and Training | NSFAS2224 | Rural and Agrarian Studies | NSFAS2262 |
Horticulture | NSFAS2225 | Safety in Society | NSFAS2263 |
Hospitality, Tourism, Travel, Gaming and Leisure | NSFAS2226 | Schooling | NSFAS2264 |
Human Resources | NSFAS2227 | Secondary Agriculture | NSFAS2265 |
Industrial & Organizational Governance and HR Development | NSFAS2228 | Sovereignty of the State | NSFAS2266 |
Information Studies | NSFAS2229 | Sport | NSFAS2267 |
Information Technology and Computer Sciences | NSFAS2230 | Traditions, History and Legacies | NSFAS2268 |
Justice in Society | NSFAS2231 | Transport, Operations and Logistics | NSFAS2269 |
Language | NSFAS2232 | Undefined | NSFAS2270 |
Life Sciences | NSFAS2233 | Urban and Regional Studies | NSFAS2271 |
Literature | NSFAS2234 | Visual Arts | NSFAS2272 |
Manufacturing and Assembly | NSFAS2235 | Wholesale and Retail | NSFAS2273 |
Marketing | NSFAS2236 | ||
Mathematical Sciences | NSFAS2237 | ||
You must log onto www.nsfas.org.za, click myNSFAS on the top of your screen, the click Digital Learning Device Online Order Form, fill in the details on screen as requested. The full ordering processes is done online.
The laptop device comes with software installed, no training is needed
You are required to collect your laptop on campus of the university you are registered at
To order a device, you must be approved for NSFAS funding and you have to be registered at a public university or TVET college for a NSFAS funded qualification
The specifications are available on the online order portal as well as the price
On collection of the laptop, the student must present the following to the service provider:
The Proline laptop model is on the portal currently, additional brands will be made available.
Depending on the availability of stock. Where stock is available, it could take 7 to 14 days.
The student must inform their Financial Aid Office on campus to cancel.
Each participating institution will develop a set of terms and conditions that must be signed by the student on or before collection of the laptop. These terms and conditions will be made available to the student by their institution.
Yes, you will still receive other allowances such as food as well as travel or accommodation allowances
Yes, you must also submit an online order through by logging onto the NSFAS website at www.nsfas.org.za, click myNSFAS on the top of the screen, then click the Digital Learning Device online order. Then add your ID number and all the information requested on screen to complete your order
To update your cellphone number or email address, log on to your myNSFAS account using your Username (email address) and password. Once you have logged in click Personal Details on the top of your screen. You will then be able to update your cellphone number and email address.
Book allowances only apply at universities and the trend has been to move more towards access to the internet than the purchase of books. NSFAS stopped book vouchers for a number of reasons: Students have been the target of a voucher scam in various campuses; There were many commercial interests by merchants providing services to students at a fee using vouchers; Students were trading the book vouchers for cash outside many supermarkets; The voucher system was limited to selected merchants that monopolised the student market; There was no financial freedom for the students on where to purchase books, including second-hand retailers; The book allowance had increasingly been extended to a learning materials allowance that included laptops and tablets.
In addition, the call to change book vouchers to cash was one of the many demands by the student leadership in South Africa, as part of their input in the policy governing the higher education student funding.
NSFAS uses more than one source to verify family income. There is an integrated process with key credit bureau house that triangulates data across multiple sources to verify earnings. Applicants are required to submit proof of household income and declare on the application that the information provided is true and correct.
NSFAS uses more than one source to verify household income. There is an integrated process with key credit bureau house that triangulates data across multiple sources to verify earnings for validity and accuracy.
Household income regrading family income or personal income is also verified with South Africa Revenue Services (SARS) to ensure the validity and the accuracy of the income declared by the applicant.
All direct deposits and transfers are made into our FNB bank account. Kindly ensure that you use your ID number as a reference number. Payments made by you into your NSFAS account will reflect within 72 days of making the payment. For ways to make payments email collections@nsfas.org.za
Repayments are based on your annual salary. If you earn R30 000 per year, you will have to pay 3% of your salary. This increase is equal to an additional 1% for every R6 600 you earn above R30 000 per annum. The maximum rate that you will pay is 8% when you earn R59 300. For ways to make repayments, email collections @nsfas.org.za
Repayment of your NSFAS study loan is only due once you have secured employment. If you received a study loan in 2017 and prior, an interest holiday of 12 months post exit date is applicable to student loan accounts. Send confirmation of employment to debtors@nsfas.org.za. Repayments are based on your annual salary. If you earn R30 000 per year, you will have to pay 3% of your salary. This increase is equal to an additional 1% for every R6 600 you earn above R30 000 per annum. The maximum rate that you will pay is 8% when you earn R59 300 per year.
The current interest rate for this financial year is 4.2%. NSFAS financial year runs from April 01 to March 31, the following year. A debtor's status as studying or not studying is determined by the date of exit as captured in the system. The NSFAS interest rate is pegged at 80% of the repo rate and fluctuates in line with changes to the repo rate.
NSFAS has not received any commitment by government at this stage to write of any outstanding student debts. The free education pronouncement was clear that it will be effective starting from the 2018 academic year. As far as we are concerned, previous loans will still need to be paid back by those who benefited.
To claim a refund, you will need to fill out a refund form. The form must be stamped at the bank and completed with a valid bank account, registered under your ID number. Email the form to refunds@nsfas.org.za. Kindly note that your refund will be paid out within 21 days of having received the verified refund form. Should you require further assistance in this regard, please submit a query through NSFAS Connect.
Students sign a legally binding loan agreement contract to repay their loans. NSFAS also works with third party organisations (e.g SARS to track down NSFAS beneficiaries who are employed and earning more than R30 000 per year and make payment arrangements.
Every cent of a loan repayment goes towards helping other students with funding.
No, time limit is given for repayment, since this is determined by the salary of the debtor, and his or her ability to repay. Those who are unemployed are not expected to repay.
Those who are unemployed are not expected to repay but must inform NSFAS whenever their employment status changes.