Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr. Blade Nzimande, is encouraging aspiring learners and financially constrained students to apply for 2024 funding as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) initiates the bursary application season for the upcoming academic year. The application period, open from November 21, 2023, until January 31, 2024, aims to streamline the decision-making process by utilizing updated information from the South African Revenue Service (SARS), crucial for NSFAS’s financial eligibility assessments.
Minister Nzimande emphasizes the importance of timely applications for those wishing to pursue studies in public universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, emphasizing that matriculation is not a prerequisite for NSFAS applications. The minister highlights NSFAS’s commitment to providing immediate funding decisions for South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) First Time Entering (FTEN) students from poor and working-class families.
In an effort to enhance services, this application period requires no supporting documents during the initial application, thanks to improved third-party relations with entities such as SASSA, SARS, and the Department of Home Affairs. However, supporting documents may be requested later in the process if necessary.
Minister Nzimande urges students to provide accurate information during the application, emphasizing the importance of accurate parental information for timely funding. Appeals for first-time applicants can be submitted in case of rejection, while returning and continuing students will have an appeals option available from the end of November.
NSFAS is actively collaborating with public entities like SARS and the Department of Home Affairs to enhance controls and prevent ineligible individuals from accessing funding. Nzimande reminds students that applying does not guarantee confirmed funding; registration in a public university or TVET College is essential for funding confirmation.
Exciting new features for the 2024 application period include the rollout of the NSFAS mobile application, initially available for iOS and Android, with a biometric capability planned for later implementation. The entity is also working on a strategy to enhance its query handling processes, focusing on improving overall efficiency.