The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides financial support to eligible South African students. This support includes tuition and registration fees, as well as various allowances to cover living expenses and study materials.
NSFAS divides its annual allowance payments into ten installments. This means that Unisa students will not receive any NSFAS allowances in December 2024.
The academic year typically runs from February to November, aligning with the ten-month payment cycle. Therefore, NSFAS allowances are disbursed from February to November, with December being a payment-free month.
What Unisa Students Receive from NSFAS
NSFAS-funded Unisa students are eligible for two primary allowances:
-
Learning Materials Allowance:
- First four modules: R700 per module
- Five or more modules: A one-time payment of R5,460
Please note that if R5,200 has already been disbursed for five modules, no additional funds will be provided for extra modules. This allowance is specifically designed to cover the costs of textbooks and other essential study materials.
-
Living Allowance:
- Students enrolled in ten or more modules are eligible for a living allowance.
- Additionally, they may receive an incidental allowance, the specific amount of which is determined by Unisa.
In addition to these allowances, NSFAS covers the full cost of tuition and registration fees for eligible Unisa students.