The University of South Africa (Unisa) has confirmed how NSFAS allowances will be paid to students in June 2025.
NSFAS provides bursaries and student loans to eligible students at public universities and TVET colleges. Funding covers tuition, registration fees, and allowances for food, accommodation, and learning materials.
Unisa confirmed that NSFAS-funded students will receive allowance payments for the first six months of 2025.
NSFAS is no longer using the 'fintech companies' that were making payments to students on their behalf. The system was criticised by students and others because it meant that students had to pay significant fees and transaction costs.
From now on allowances will be paid via EFT directly into students’ bank accounts. This method is standard for university students.
Students who have not received their payment, or received the wrong amount, must contact Unisa at DSF-NSFAS@unisa.ac.za.
Starting April 2025, Unisa said NSFAS allowance payments will be made on the 29th of every month.
How To Capture Bank Details for NSFAS Payments
To receive your allowance, follow these steps:
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Open the link sent to your myLife email account.
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Enter your banking details.
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Wait for bank verification.
Unisa reminded students that the bank account must be in their own name. Bank details are verified against each student’s Unisa ID number.
No third-party banking details are allowed.
Students must regularly check their bank verification status to avoid payment delays. If verification fails, resubmission is required immediately.
How Many Unisa Students Are Funded By NSFAS?
According to NSFAS, Unisa has the highest proportion of students funded by them among South African universities. According to the NSFAS Vital Statistics report, approximately 34% of UNISA's student population receives NSFAS funding.
Given that Unisa enrolls over 400,000 students, this percentage translates to roughly 136,000 NSFAS-funded students. This significant number shows Unisa's role in providing accessible higher education to students from low-income households across South Africa.
In the past Unisa was more focused on older students, who were probably also working full-time jobs. Over the last 10 years the average age of students has dropped significantly, and because of the NSFAS funding option many more students are just out of high school in recent years.
Unisa students receive different grants from the grants that students at traditional universities get because of Unisa's distance learning model. Unisa students typically receive allowances for learning materials and incidental expenses, but not for accommodation or transport, as they study remotely.