Following some delays in the process, applications for funding under the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) are opening on Friday 20 September 2024.
In a press briefing held earlier this week by the Department of Higher Education and NSFAS earlier this week, Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane said the delay was due to extended stakeholder engagement and to allow the system to do a dry run of the online application system.
NSFAS, which provides bursaries and loans to underprivileged students in institutions of higher education (Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and public universities) - has in the past couple years been marred by a series of controversies, ranging from the misallocation of funds to non-existent 'ghost' students, non-allocation of student allowances, corruption, questionable leadership, and the entity being under administration.
The scheme has also been under scrutiny for failing to keep up with the increasing demand for funding as the student population is growing.
The scheme offers bursaries to households earning up to R350 000 per year, with loans available for "missing middle" families with incomes between R350 001 and R600 000 annually.
