Of the 74,807 NSFAS appeals received, NSFAS has processed 41,211, approving 23,511 and rejecting 17,670. A further 5,846 were rejected for failing to meet eligibility requirements.
Appeal Restrictions Outlined
NSFAS has clarified that certain applicants are ineligible to appeal. These include students enrolled in non-funded qualifications, those exceeding the N+2 rule (N+3 for disabled students), and those with discrepancies in parental or guardian information.
Students whose institutions have not submitted or incorrectly submitted their registration records are also excluded, as are those previously denied funding due to academic ineligibility following a gap year.
Academic Performance Appeals Subject to Strict Criteria
Appeals based on academic performance are restricted.
NSFAS will only consider appeals where students can demonstrate incorrect recording of academic results, prolonged illness (two or more months) preventing exam attendance, bereavement of an immediate family member, victimisation of violent crime during the academic term, childbirth during the academic term, or institutional confirmation of qualification completion within an additional term.
Household Income Appeals Require Substantiation
Students exceeding the household income threshold may appeal if they can provide proof that their actual income falls below the limit, demonstrate a change in household income since application, establish the incapacitation or death of a key financial contributor, or provide a court declaration of financial independence.
"Applicants must submit all supporting documents upon request via SMA/email to have their appeals processed," stated a NSFAS representative. Those deemed ineligible to appeal must reapply in the subsequent funding cycle.
