More than a million South African students rely on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to fund their studies, including the provision of monthly NSFAS allowances. With May 2025 approaching, students may be wondering how these allowances will be paid.
Monthly Allowance Structure
NSFAS distributes allowances over a 10-month period aligned with the academic calendar, which typically runs from February to November. This means students do not receive allowances in January or December.
The financial aid scheme recently confirmed:
Allowances of students will be paid based on an approved NSFAS payment channel.
How NSFAS Payments Will Work in May 2025
In the second half of 2024, universities disbursed allowances to students via institutional channels, while TVET College students received theirs through direct payments into personal bank accounts.
NSFAS has confirmed that this payment method will continue in 2025 for TVET College students. Those eligible are encouraged to update their banking details on the myNSFAS portal to ensure smooth payment processing.
"The allowances payment channel for TVET College students remains their own bank accounts. Colleges should encourage new NSFAS-qualifying students to open a bank account at any of the South African banking institutions."
Universities Will Continue to Manage Payments
Although NSFAS had initially planned to roll out direct payments to university students, the transition has been delayed due to an ongoing court case. As a result, universities will continue to handle allowance disbursements until further notice.
Currently, NSFAS transfers allowance funds to the universities, which are then responsible for distributing them to students. However, practices vary between institutions.
Students are advised to consult their institution to determine when and how they will receive their allowances,
How TVET Students Can Upload Bank Details on myNSFAS
Only students who have received confirmation of NSFAS funding and have submitted their registration information are eligible to add their banking details.
To upload bank details on the myNSFAS portal, follow these steps:
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Visit the myNSFAS portal
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Log in with your myNSFAS credentials
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Select "Bank Account Details" under "Profile Information"
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Enter your bank details accurately
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Click "Save"
Students are urged to keep their information up to date on the myNSFAS portal and monitor official NSFAS channels for any updates that may impact payment timelines.
