NSFAS For Private Colleges

NSFAS offers bursaries to South African students which cover funding for registration, tuition and provides monthly allowances. So do they fund private colleges and institutions? Keep reading to find out.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a government-linked bursary which provides funding for students which covers registration, tuition and provides monthly allowances.

Many have asked whether they fund students at private colleges and institutions. The answer is no they do not.

NSFAS only provides funding for South African students who plan to study at public universities or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

Click here for a list of TVET Colleges.

Click here for a list of Public Universities. 

If you plan on studying at a University or TVET College and have passed Grade 9 to 12, you tick some of the boxes to be funded by NSFAS. The other requirements are as follows:

• You’re a South African citizen
• If you’re a SASSA grant recipient, you qualify for funding
• You have a combined household income of not more than R350 000 per year
• A person with a disability: Combined household income must not be more than R600 000 per year

Once you have applied, application results will be communicated to all applicants once NSFAS received confirmation from the Institution that an academic offer has been made to you. This will be communicated to you before the start of the academic year via SMS, email and through your myNSFAS account.

Once you are approved for NSFAS funding, the funding covers you until you finish your qualification. This does however depend on whether you continue to meet the academic criteria. You just need to focus on studying and passing your modules to secure your continued funding.

For information on NSFAS click here.