Pretoria - As the 2017 tertiary education academic year begins, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is working around the clock to finalise applications for funding.
The scheme on Thursday said it has received more than 374 729 applications, and is now busy finalising the processing and evaluation of the applications it received during the first phase which closed on 30 November 2016.
“We have already started communicating application results for the first phase from last week and will continue to do so via SMS and email,” said NSFAS.
For those who will submit applications from 9 January 2017 (second phase), the outcome of applications will be communicated from 1 February 2017.
NSFAS responds to students’ feedback concerns
The scheme said it has started sending feedback messages to the majority of students who applied last year.
“There are still some who have not yet received feedback but we will be doing that progressively throughout the week. Some of the applications had outstanding documents and that is what caused the delay in their processing.”
Help for grant beneficiaries
Students, who are receiving social grants and have applied to NSFAS for financial assistance in 2017, will not be means tested like the rest of other applicants.
They will be qualified to receive funding because they have already been means tested by the Department of Social Development.
According to Department of Basic Education, more than 600 000 full-time learners registered to write the recent National Senior Certificate exams. Of these, 188 758 are social grant beneficiaries.
“This is one of the developments of the new NSFAS student centred model in which we will synchronise our data with the Department of Social Development’s database of grant recipients to ensure that there is a smooth process for social grant beneficiaries to receive NSFAS funding, because they have already been mean tested by government for grant purposes,” the scheme said.
Closing date for applications
The closing date for university students is 20 January 2017, while for TVET colleges it is 14 February 2017.
“We will be communicating application results from 1 February 2017,” NSFAS said.
Where can students apply?
The centralised application system provides multiple channels where students can apply directly to NSFAS including the following:
- Online applications through NSFAS website: www.nsfas.org.za
- Fax: 086 644 2822
- Email: apply@nsfas.org.za
- Post: The 2017 Online Applications, NSFAS Loans & Bursaries Department, Private Bag X4, Plumstead, 7801
The scheme has also partnered with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), which has agreed to assist by availing the printed forms at all of their community youth development centres in rural and township areas.
It is also working with the Department of Social Development, through the ISIBINDI centres, to assist in distributing and availing manual application forms at 263 community centres throughout the country.
At all these centres, there will be agents who have been well trained to assist anyone who would like to complete the online application or the manual application forms.
ISIBINDI is a community development NGO under the National Department of Social Development.
NSFAS is also continuing to work very closely with the Vodacom Foundation. They have also agreed to help learners apply for NSFAS by providing access to their 81 ICT Teacher Centres across South Africa.
They have also enabled applicants who are using Vodacom SIM cards to submit their applications online on NSFAS website for free.
Required documents
The application form provides a checklist of all supporting documents that are required when making an application and includes the following:
- Certified copy of your ID and that of each household member including parents and legal guardian
- Proof of household income (e.g. payslips)
- Proof of residence, such as water and electricity account
- Latest academic transcript or exam results.
- Doctor’s certificate (If permanently disabled)
- SAnews.gov.za
