Fund requests flood student aid

ASSISTANCE: ORGANISATION RECEIVES UP TO 6 000 APPLICATIONS DAILY ‘DURING PEAK WEEKS’

Pupils, out-ofschool youth, have until midnight on November 30 to apply.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) said it had been inundated with 141 933 applications since the beginning of September. In a statement, the scheme said it was, on average, receiving more than 4 000 applications a day.

“The number is going as high as 6 000 a day on peak weeks. By September 30, NSFAS had received an additional 27 455 applications, compared to the 101 545 received around the same time last year,” it said in a statement.

On entering its second month, the NSFAS applications cycle has officially opened for Grade 9 to 12 pupils and out-of-school youth, who wish to further their studies at any technical and vocational education and training college in SA during the 2020 academic year.

Prospective applicants have until midnight on November 30 to apply for funding.

As part of the application drive to encourage qualifying persons to apply on time, NSFAS has embarked on a nationwide 2020 applications roadshow.

“The purpose of the roadshow is to reach out to youth who need funding but have challenges with accessing the application resources,” said NSFAS.

Applications are submitted online by creating a myNSFAS account on the website. Applicants with an existing account can sign in using their usernames and password or Facebook/Google accounts.

Students can also submit their applications using their smartphones.

Applicants must have working cellphone numbers and a valid e-mail address before applying.

NSFAS said it was important for applicants to att ach all required supporting documents when submitting an application. “The documents will enable NSFAS to process the application timeously.” – Caxton News Service