NSFAS student applications open
Johannesburg – On Monday Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande announced that the 2021 applications for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) have opened, and will close on 30 November.
The NSFAS applications are for students from poor and working-class backgrounds who want to further their studies at any public Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college or university. To qualify for funding, the applicant must be a South African citizen and from a family with an annual household income of not more than R350 000; and for students with a disabilities, the income must not be more than R600 000.
Nzimande said in the current academic year NSFAS has funded more than 700 000 students; 248 242 at TVET colleges; and 481 339 at universities.
“This is a 20% increase from the previous year, when we compared registration data received in the same period of 2019 versus 2020. NSFAS accounted for 40% of the undergraduate population at universities, and 70% at TVET colleges,” Nzimande said.
He added that National Youth Development Agency centres will be fully operational and accessible to applicants from September 1.
The department announced that applications for 2021 funding would be done online via the myNSFAS portal. The application system requires prospective students to submit supporting documents, including a copy of their ID; a parent or guardian’s proof of income; and a copy of the parent or guardian’s ID.