The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides financial aid to thousands of university and TVET College students across South Africa. According to NSFAS, the N+ Rule may be affected if a student changes their qualification.
NSFAS funding covers tuition and registration fees, as well as allowances for food, accommodation, transport, and learning materials.
The N+ Rule limits the number of years a student may receive financial support. Once this limit is exceeded, students become ineligible for further funding.
How the N+ Rule Works if You Change Your Course
NSFAS has clarified that the N+ Rule is applied based on the qualification a student is registered for during a particular academic term. This means that the "N" value may change when a student switches to a new qualification.
The N+ Rule is applied to the qualification that the student is registered for in the relevant academic term. The N thus changes for students who change qualifications from one academic term to the next.
If the time remaining under the N+ Rule is not sufficient to complete the new qualification, NSFAS will not provide further financial aid.
Where a student has changed their qualification and the remaining N does not accommodate the time required to complete the different qualification, the student will no longer receive NSFAS funding.
N+ Rule for Institutions
The University N+ Rule is calculated based on the total number of years a student has been enrolled in higher education. For distance university students, the N period is doubled due to the unique challenges of remote learning.
In the instance of distance university students studying at a non-contact university, the N period of study equates to double the minimum time required to complete the qualification.
Students with disabilities qualify for an N+2 extension to account for the additional barriers they may face in completing their studies.
At TVET Colleges, the N+ Rule is based on NSFAS-funded academic terms. Students may receive additional funding to repeat a term, from entry to exit level.
It’s important to note that the N+ Rule does not apply to occupational programmes, as these qualifications are linked to employment contracts and do not allow for an N+1 period.
