The financial aid scheme offers bursaries and student loans to eligible students enrolled at universities and TVET colleges. NSFAS covers tuition, registration, and provides allowances for food, accommodation, and study materials.
To qualify, applicants must usually have a household income below R350,000 per year. For students living with disabilities, the threshold increases to R600,000 annually.
Income Rule Waived for Some Sassa Grant Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries of Sassa grants are generally exempt from the household income requirement, as they typically fall below the qualifying income threshold.
However, NSFAS has made it clear that not all Sassa grant recipients are automatically eligible for funding.
Which Sassa Grant Recipients Are Eligible?
NSFAS funding is available to recipients of the Foster Care, Care Dependency, and Child Support grants—provided they are registered at a recognised institution and meet academic eligibility criteria.
An applicant or student who is a recipient of a Sassa grant, or who has been a Sassa grant recipient of the Care Dependency, Child Support and Foster Care grants within the previous three years of applying for financial aid from NSFAS, but excludes those in receipt of the Social Relief of Distress grant.
Recipients of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant are excluded from automatic NSFAS eligibility and may be required to undergo household income verification.
