NSFAS At Unisa

NSFAS At Unisa

The National Student Financial Assistance Program (NSFAS) was formed on the basis of the National Student Financial Assistance Program. NSFAS is a scholarship program that provides free, fully subsidized higher education and training for working class and poor students in South Africa.

NSFAS’s vision is to provide financial assistance to students from poor and working-class families studying in public universities and TVET colleges.

On December 16, 2017, former President Jacob Zuma announced that the South African government will gradually launch “full subsidized free higher education and training for poor and working-class students in South Africa.” Funds will be allocated gradually over 5 years, so the Ministry of Higher Education and Training (DHET) scholarship program was established.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must ensure that they satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying:

South African citizen
Receive a SASSA grant
Total household income is R350 000 or less per annum
Applying to study at a TVET College or public university
Already registered as a university student with a total household income of under R122 000 per annum
Passed grade 9 and grade 10 to receive funding to study at TVET College
Passed Matric to receive funding to study at University
Registering for your first time at a public university for an undergraduate qualification or registered at a public TVET College for a National Certificate Vocational/ report 191 programme

Do NOT apply if you meet the following criteria:

Foreign student (NOT a South African citizen)
Total household income is over R350 000 per annum
Completed a previous tertiary qualification
Already applied and received funding

COVERAGE VALUE

The DHET Bursary will provide cover for the following study related expenses:

Registration fee
Tuition fee
Subsidized book allowances
Prescribed learning materials (up to a certain amount, as set by NSFAS)
Subsidized accommodation (up to a certain amount, as set by NSFAS)
Subsidized meal allowances

HOW TO APPLY FOR NSFAS AT UNISA

There are 3 ways in which you can apply:

METHOD 1: On the NSFAS website (if you wish to apply online, follow the instructions below)
1) Create your myNSFAS account here: https://my.nsfas.org.za/mynsfas/selfservice.html
You will be required to provide the following information when registering an account: username, password, ID number, cellphone number and email address
2) You can then login using your selected username and password
3) Complete the application form by clicking the “apply” button
4) When you have filled in all the required information (do not leave any fields blank), you can upload electronic copies of your supporting documents (as listed below). Once all your documents have been uploaded, click the “submit” button to receive your reference number

METHOD 2: At your closest NYDA Center
1) Visit a NYDA center/ office closest to you
2) A NYDA center worker will explain the application process and provide you with an application form to complete
3) Complete the application form in CAPITAL letters with a black pen and sign it in the allocated spots
4) Hand in your application form and supporting documents (as listed below). Ensure that your supporting documents are certified on the front of the page and not be older than 3 months.
5) You will receive a receipt card with a bar code attached

METHOD 3: At a Financial Aid Office on campus/ computer lab

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application be disregarded):

ID document/ ID card (certified copy and electronic copy)
Unabridged birth certificate (if you do not have an ID document or ID card) (certified copy and electronic copy)
Parents/ guardians ID documents (certified copy and electronic copy)
Parents/ guardians death certificate (if applicable) (certified copy and electronic copy)
Payslips/ employment letters/ pension advice (not older than 3 months) (do not submit SASSA slips. SASSA should be excluded from household income) (certified copy and electronic copy)
Contact details (cellphone number/ email address where NSFAS can communicate with you throughout the application process, as well as to provide feedback on the outcome of your application)
NSFAS Consent Form pdf– completed and signed by parents/ guardians
If disabled, complete and include the NSFAS Disability Annexure A (.pdf)
If orphaned, complete and include the NSFAS Declaration Form (.pdf) – to be signed by an Isibindi Child Youth Care Worker/ a social worker from the Department of Social Development and submitted to an Isibindi Center/ NYDA office