NSFAS opens bursary application for 2024 academic year

Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has urged all learners who do not have financial assistance to continue their studies in 2024, to submit their applications for 2024 funding.

Applications for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) opened on 21 November 2023 and will close on 31 January 2024.

Nzimande urged all students who wish 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.

Nzimande emphasised that students do not have to wait for matric results in order to apply for NSFAS.

NSFAS is mandated to make funding available to poor and working-class families.

Nzimande said during this application period, there will be no supporting documents required at time of application.

“The only time supporting documents will be required, is when prompted by NSFAS in case where they cannot verify the parental relationship. Communication will be sent directly by NSFAS to a student to initiate this process,” Nzimande explained.

In the case where a student is submitting an appeal, documents required will be based on the NSFAS declaration form available on the NSFAS website.

The Minister also urged students to provide accurate information, particularly parental information, when applying so that when validations occur with Home Affairs, students can be funded timeously.

He said NSFAS will reject or request additional supporting documentation, where validations with third parties have failed, and all the firsttime applicants will be able to appeal, as soon as they are rejected.

Returning students and continuing students were only able to appeal from the end of November, as NSFAS was still improving the processes so that students had multiple reject reasons and appeal at once, instead of the current process where they have been rejected at different points in the funding value chain.

In preparation for the 2024 funding cycle, NSFAS engaged the Department of Basic Education and learners who were SASSA beneficiaries.

Nzimande reminded the students that applying does not mean the applicants have been confirmed for funding.

Among the new features for the 2024 application period include the NSFAS mobile application.

The entity is also planning to roll out a strategy that would improve its query handling processes.