NSFAS opens bursary applications for 2024
Higher education and training minister Dr Blade Nzimande has urged matric pupils and students who do not have financial assistance for their tertiary studies to submit their applications for funding for next year.
Nzimande made the call as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) officially opened the bursary application season for the 2024 academic year this week.
The application season closes on January 31.
Nzimande said the reason for opening the applications period now was that the NSFAS was awaiting the completion of the SARS’ tax period.
This would enable the NSFAS to obtain the necessary and updated information required during the application season.
“Furthermore, this is done to afford the beneficiaries shorter turnaround times for decisionmaking, which is aligned to NSFAS financial eligibility assessment, which requires updated SARS information,” Nzimande said.
Nzimande urged all students who wished to study in any of the public universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to apply timeously and not to wait until the last day.
He emphasised that pupils did not have to wait for their matric results in order to apply for NSFAS funding.
The minister reiterated that the NSFAS was mandated to make funding available to poor and working-class families, and in adhering to this mandate, the scheme would continue to make immediate funding decisions for South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) First Time Entering (FTEN) students.
As part of improving the service to students, Nzimande said no supporting documents would be required during this application period. “The reason for this is due to our improved third party relations, including Sassa, SARS and the Department of Home Affairs.
“They will be providing the NSFAS with information to verify what the student would have declared in the application.
“The only time supporting documents will be required is when prompted by NSFAS in cases where they cannot verify the parental relationship.
“Communication will be sent directly by NSFAS to a student to initiate this process,” Nzimande said.
In the case of students submitting an appeal, documents required are noted in the NSFAS declaration form available on it website.
In addition, disabled students will be required to submit the disability annexure form, as they are assessed at the R600,000 threshold.
“All these improvements will ensure that funding decisions are confirmed timeously,” the minister said. He also urged students to provide accurate information, particularly parental information when applying so that when validations were done through home affairs, students could be funded timeously.
He said the NSFAS would reject or request additional supporting documentation where validations with third parties had failed. All first-time applicants would be able to appeal immediately after being rejected.
However, the minister noted that returning students would only be able to appeal from the end of November, as the NSFAS was still improving processes.
Nzimande said the scheme continued to improve its controls in ensuring that applicants who did not qualify did not access the funding, noting this was done in collaboration with SARS and home affairs.
He reminded applicants that applying for funding did not mean it would be approved.
“You still need to be registered first in a public university or TVET College for a funded qualification to be confirmed.”
Among the new features for the 2024 application period include the NSFAS mobile application which will be rolled out initially for iPhone operating system (IOs), Android, and in due course of Huawei devices.
The student app will include a biometric capability, which will be rolled out later in the year.
A strategy to improve query handling processes will also be rolled out.
“The intention is to provide additional services on the WhatsApp functionality, USSD, and introduce additional solutions such as chatbots,” Nzimande said.
“The introduction of these applications will enable students to receive responses directly and reduce the reliance on calls.”
All these improvements will ensure that funding decisions are confirmed timeously