The Parliamentary Committee on Higher Education has urged the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to fund all eligible students.
NSFAS provides comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving students enrolled in approved courses at universities and TVET colleges. NSFAS funding covers tuition and registration fees, as well as several allowances for food, accommodation, and learning materials
Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie emphasised that NSFAS must ensure no deserving student is left behind while preventing funds from being allocated to ineligible applicants, which has led to significant financial losses in the past. He acknowledged NSFAS’s past challenges but noted that operations have improved since the scheme was placed under administration.
NSFAS was placed under administration by former Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, leading to the dissolution of its board. Freeman Nomvalo was appointed administrator in April 2024. Although initially set for a two-year term, newly appointed Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane shortened the administration period.
However, after failing to appoint a new board, Nomvalo’s term was extended.
Since the administration and new minister took charge, NSFAS operations have improved, increasing confidence in its ability to fund students effectively. NSFAS received 890,599 bursary applications and 17,369 loan applications for the 2025 academic year.
Timely funding decisions will be crucial in ensuring students can commence their studies without delays. However, previous delays left many students unable to register or secure accommodation.
NSFAS has urged students to upload all required documents promptly to avoid delays in funding decisions. Letsie expressed confidence that 2025 funding decisions would be more efficient due to cultural shifts at NSFAS but stressed the importance of communication between institutions and the scheme to prevent delays.
The surge in NSFAS applications—nearly one million—has raised concerns about funding availability. Of the 969,000 applications, around 60% have been provisionally approved, meaning these students will receive funding upon registration at a higher education institution.
Should additional funds be required, NSFAS will approach the Department of Higher Education and Treasury to secure the necessary resources.
Nomvalo highlighted that while NSFAS can support many students, the capacity of institutions also plays a role in determining how many can be accommodated. Universities have reported that they cannot accept all applicants due to space constraints.
In 2025, NSFAS will also fund missing-middle students through its loan scheme. Having received over 19,000 applications, NSFAS will notify institutions about which students will receive this funding.
Students must upload the requested documents within 30 days of NSFAS’s request. Failure to do so will result in applications being declared invalid. NSFAS has urged all applicants with outstanding documents to submit them urgently to avoid losing their funding opportunities.
