Uncategorized
Lucas Ledwaba
In early 2022, Magdeline Makoša Ratsatsi applied to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for herself and
on behalf of her two younger siblings.
To her amazement, all three applications were approved. Magdeline, 30, is now a student at the University of South Africa where she’s studying for a diploma in research and archiving.
Her sister is studying at a FET College in Limpopo. Both their tuition fees and related expenses are covered by the NSFAS. The third sibling is repeating matric but has already applied for next year’s funding rollout.
“I was happy that I was a beneficiary among more than one million other students countrywide,” said Magdeline from Mentz village near Polokwane in Limpopo.
last month, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, announced at the opening of the 2024 funding rollout that in this current financial year, NSFAS is funding 1,6 million students. Applications opened officially on 21 November and will close on 31 January 2024.
Among the new measures introduced, Nzimande said students don’t have to wait for their matric results to apply for NSFAS and that for this application period, there will be no supporting documents required at the time of applying.
He further revealed that in 2023, NSFAS continued to fund SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) beneficiaries in real-time.
“This year, SASSA beneficiaries account for 35% (526,970) of the funded students,” Nzimande revealed. In March, the SASSA revealed that 18,829,716 people were receiving various types of social grants in South Africa. Like many NSFAS applicants, Magdeline and her siblings come from a single-parent family that depends on the state’s welfare.
“I experienced financial problems since matriculating in 2011,” she said.
In 2013 she received an NSFAS grant to study human resources management at the Capricorn TVET College in Polokwane and graduated two years later. But a string of unfortunate incidents plunged her and siblings into deeper financial trouble.
She has, however, worked in various roles as a community liaison officer in government projects and last year she decided to apply to NSFAS and pursue her studies.
NSFAS covers her book allowance to the tune of R5,046. She also receives R304 for transport plus 30 gigabytes of data monthly.
Her sister, who studies at the Letaba TVET College in Tzaneen, was covered for R6,000 for transportation and rent in her first semester. She received a further R10,000 to cover registration, transport and rental for the second semester.
“I think how they (NSFAS) are supporting us with data and transport is enough. I appreciate the way they implement it. The money they gave us is enough. I felt blessed to have that R5,000. It was the first time that I received such money,” Magdeline reflected on the NSFAS support.
Nzimande said NSFAS has grown from disbursing R21.4 million in funding to almost R48 billion “to fund children of the working class and the poor seeking to further their studies in public universities and TVET colleges”.
In February, a meeting of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation heard that the NSFAS received 978,402 first-time applications this year, which was a 14% growth compared to 2022. It was also revealed that NSFAS has funded over 657,000 new applicants, representing 66% of those who applied, 81% of whom were SASSA beneficiaries.
One such student is Tshepo Masike, 19, from Soshanguve in Tshwane.
The first-year BCom student at the University of Pretoria applied in November 2022 but experienced delays in getting approved.
“My application was stuck in one stage for a long time until around April/May this year when I was provisionally selected,” he said.
Tshepo was raised by his unemployed mother and grandmother, who is a pensioner.
“It’s tough for them to pay my fees. I didn’t get a bursary so I applied for NSFAS funding,” he said.
Tshepo who resides on campus in Pretoria receives R200 from his mother every month which he spends on toiletries and other basic needs.
NSFAS pays R14,400 for his meals on campus for one academic year and a further R3,000 for personal care which
translates into a R301 monthly stipend.
While the scheme has helped millions of students access higher education, it hasn’t been without challenges. These include being late in paying out allowances, fees and accommodation resulting in some students missing classes or being evicted from their lodgings.
The NSFAS acknowledged its shortcomings in a blogpost saying “students had to wait for their allowance to be provided
before they could register for the academic year, which meant they missed valuable learning time”.
Tshepo also experienced a delay in receiving his allowance in June. “I never had a problem except that it once came late. I think this was at the time when they introduced a new system. I only got my June allowance at the end of July,” he said.
Chantel King, the DA spokesperson on higher education, science and innovation said after Nzimande’s announcement last month that the party wants him to clarify among other issues how the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) budget cuts for both NSFAS and universities will affect students and institutions.
The DA also wants Nzimande to explain where the funding shortfall for the 2024 academic year and additional funding will be sourced from, to explain the status of the contracts of the NSFAS direct payment service providers and how students will receive their 2024 funds, and the progress on accrediting student accommodation service providers.
In his budget vote speech in May, Nzimande announced that NSFAS was funding 1.1 million students with a budget allocation of R47,6 billion in the 2023 academic year. He said of this amount, universities had been allocated R38.6 billion and TVET Colleges R8,9 billion.
However in his MTBPS in early November, the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana announced that in the current financial year government spending has been revised down by R21 billion and that further reductions of R64 billion in 2024/25 and R69 billion in 2025/26 are proposed.
Trade union federation Cosatu has added its voice to Godongwana’s announcement of budget cuts saying it is “pained by reckless cuts in the MTBPS to NSFAS [of R3 billion).
But Nzimande has expressed optimism, saying for NSFAS to successfully implement the funding of 2024, there needs to be closure of the 2023 funding cycle.
“This includes the finalisation of all the appeals and payment of all outstanding allowances for the academic year 2023. NSFAS committed that all appeals and the payment of outstanding allowance will be finalised this year,” he said.
How to Apply for NSFAS Online 2024-2025
Application for the 2024-2025 academic cycle opened on 28 September 2023 and close on 31 January 2024. Please, be reminded that
there will be no late application for any reason. Students are encouraged to apply within the period given by the National Student
Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) www.nsfas.org.za
Are you from a family with a household income of R350,000 or less and want to attend a Public University or TVET College? Then carefully
read the following: You are eligible for a government grant by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
The NSFAS covers the following; Registration fees, tuition fees, and allowances for learning materials, food, personal care,
transportation, and accommodation.
NSFAS Application General Instructions for 2024: Below are the NSFAS Application instructions for applying for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Before filling out the application form, please read the following notes carefully. Make sure that you read all of the sections and that the information you give is correct.
All applicants should write their identity (ID) number in the top right-hand corner of all the pages of the application form and on every
page of all supporting documents
If you submit application forms without ALL the required supporting documents, your application will not be processed by NSFAS.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will process only the first application that will be received. No one is allowed to
submit more than one application unless NSFAS requests you to do so.
Your cellphone number or email address will be required by NSFAS in order to reach you during the application process. If you don’t
have an email address, it is necessary to create a free email account on Google at www.gmail.com, on Yahoo at www.yahoo.co.za,
or any other free email service.
NSFAS will use the cellphone number you provided on the application form to make payment for some of your student allowances
by cellphone voucher in case your application is successful.
If you don’t have a bank account, you need to open one at any nearby bank such as Postbank, ABSA, Capitec, FNB, Standard
Bank, Nedbank, or others. Some student allowances will be paid into your bank account.
The closing date for submitting all applications and other completed supporting documents for students who are already studying at a
university or FET college, but who are applying for NSFAS financial aid for the first time, is 15 December for the following academic year.
NSFAS Required Supporting Documents for 2024 Application if you want your application to be processed by NSFAS, please make sure you complete all sections of the application form and attach all the required supporting documents. Below are the needed documents:
Certified copy of your Identity Document.
Certified copy of your birth certificate.
Certified copy of Identity Document of each household member including parents or legal guardian.
If your parents are divorced, please provide a certified copy of the divorce decree.
If you are a SASSA grant recipient, no proof of income will be required.
Applicants with a disability must submit a completed and signed Disability Annexure A Form.
An applicant who is recognized as a Vulnerable Child by the Department of Social Development must provide a completed and
signed Vulnerable Child Declaration and Consent Form.
NSFAS Online Application for 2024 is very simple, easy, and accurate. To apply online, follow the steps below:
Go to www.nsfas.org.za online and apply for 2024.
Then, click on the ‘myNSFAS’ tab.
Create a myNSFAS account.
After that, click on the ‘APPLY’ tab.
Complete the sections on the screen.
Upload the needed supporting documents where applicable
Click on the “Submit” button to finish the application.
Apply Online: https://applynsfas.com
– Mukurukuru Media