If you’ve been looking for funding for your studies, you may have come across the the term NSFAS. You may be wondering: what is NSFAS? Let’s take a look at what NSFAS is and what it can do for you.

You may have read recently that NSFAS would be changing the way applications worked. The organisation has adopted what they call a Student Centered Model, completely overhauling the applications system. So what does this mean for you?

The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has welcomed the swift
intervention by the Department of Higher Education and Training to try end
protests by students at several institutions of higher learning across the
country.

Violent student protests forced the Tshwane University of Technology to close
its door, but the varsity is once again up and running and students are invited
to register for 2014.

Despite the good intentions of the Department of Higher education and
Training (DHET) to speed up loan agreements through a new centralised
application system, the initiative may have caused more harm than good.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is in discussions with the
Department of Higher Education and Training to make additional funding
available to help students who still have outstanding fees.

An amount of R230 million has been made available to the National Student
Financial Aid Scheme to help NSFAS-supported students who still have
outstanding fees.

Cognisant of the fact that learners often struggle to make ends meet
because they are burdened by students loans, Fasset offers a National
Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Loan Repayment Grant.

Fasset will contribute towards the repayment of study debt through its innovative NSFAS Loan Repayment Grant scheme. The aim is to relieve learners in the commerce sector of the financial burden often associated with their NSFAS loan.

Financial access to higher education has been boosted by the increase in funds provided by the State through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and students are being encouraged to consider careers in industries which have a shortage of workers, such as teaching and social work as special bursaries are available in these areas of study.

NSFAS has partnered with the SAQA Career Advice Centre to provide an holistic support package to disadvantged youth, including career planning, study options and financing. The aim is to reach rural youth through its partnerships and create awareness in the poorer communities.

Forecasts suggest that more than half of successful matriculants will not find jobs in South Africa?s economy as a matric certificate is no longer sufficient to guarantee a place in the workforce. Many learners should therefore consider further education as a means to increase their chances of being employed.