Pursuing higher education can be a costly journey, as not all students have the financial means to fund their studies themselves.
That's why the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was established, in an effort to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds with funding their studies and pursuing tertiary education.
If you have applied for funding from NSFAS, but have unfortunately been rejected, a good option is to submit an appeal.
An appeal enables applicants of NSFAS to ask that their application be reconsidered for funding. If the appeal is successful, the applicant can get the funding they were hoping for in the first place.
Your MyNSFAS Account On The Student Portal
While appeals are allowed and encouraged, they have to be submitted within a specific timeframe. Submitting an appeal can be done online, via your myNSFAS account on the NSFAS portal.
The process for tracking your Nsfas appeal may vary depending on the specific university or TVET college you are attending, but generally, you can follow these steps:
How To Get Your NSFAS Appeal Status
- Log into your myNsfas account on the NSFAS website
- Click the 'Track Funding Progress' option
- Check the application progress tabs
- You will be able to track the progress of your appeal via your myNSFAS account
Once you've submitted your appeal, you'll have to wait a while before receiving feedback regarding your application status/whether or not your appeal was successful. You can also contact NSFAS to ask the status of your appeal.
It is important to note that NSFAS applicants who want to appeal will also need to complete and download a relevant propensity letter.
Here are the propensity letters available for download:
- Failure to meet academic eligibility (PDF)
- Appealing N+1 (PDF)
- N+2 students with disability (PDF)
- Registered for 50% or less (final year course credits) to complete (PDF)
If your funding application is denied, your NSFAS status will change to "Application Unsuccessful". However, if your funding application is granted, it will change to "Approved for financing subject to registration."
It is also important to keep in touch with the Financial Aid Office of your institution online, since they will be able to provide you with updates on the status of your appeal and let you know if there are any additional documents or information that you need to provide.
NSFAS provides financial aid to students in the form of bursaries and allowances, to cover the costs of tuition, accommodation, and other expenses related to pursuing higher education.
The bursary scheme's main goal is to increase access to higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who would otherwise be unable to afford it.
