Unisa announced that NSFAS allowance payments will begin on 19 March 2025. From April onwards, payments will be made on the 29th of each month. Only registered students with verified bank details will receive funds.
How Allowances Will Be Paid
NSFAS allowances will be disbursed via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) directly into students’ bank accounts. Unisa emphasised that payments will only be made to accounts registered in the student’s name.
“Allowances will only be paid to students whose registration data has been successfully submitted to NSFAS and whose banking details have been successfully verified.”
How to Submit Bank Details for NSFAS Payments
To receive their allowances, students must:
- Follow the link sent to their myLife email.
- Enter their banking details on the platform.
- Await verification by the bank.
Unisa urged students to monitor their bank verification status and resubmit details promptly if required to avoid payment delays.
Understanding Bank Verification Statuses
The Unisa banking platform uses status codes to indicate the verification stage:
- SM (Submitted but not verified): Details received but pending verification.
- VI (Verified): Banking details successfully verified.
- RJ (Rejected): Verification failed—students must resubmit correct details.
- UP (Updated by student): New banking details submitted, pending re-verification.
Which NSFAS Allowances Do Unisa Students Receive?
Allowances vary based on study load:
- Students with fewer than 60 course credits qualify for a learning materials allowance.
- Students enrolled in 60 or more credits receive both a learning materials allowance and a personal care allowance.
- Students registered for 10 modules qualify for an incidental allowance to assist with living expenses.
Unisa reminded students that allowances for distance learning students are calculated based on the number of courses registered.
