The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving learners enrolled in approved courses at universities and TVET colleges. This financial aid includes tuition and registration fees as well as allowances for essential expenses.
NSFAS allowances play a critical role in helping students manage essential costs while they work toward obtaining their tertiary qualifications.
The government bursary scheme recently confirmed that universities will continue to disburse allowances until the end of the year.
How Unisa NSFAS Allowance Payments for December 2024 Will Be Made
Initially, universities were responsible for distributing NSFAS allowances until the end of July. However, a recent update from NSFAS has extended this timeline, allowing universities, including Unisa, to manage payments until the year’s end.
It’s important to note that NSFAS allowances are distributed over 10 monthly payments per year. Consequently, no allowances will be issued in December 2024, as this month falls outside the academic year’s funding window.
December differs from other months because NSFAS only pays allowances during the academic year, which spans 10 months. Most institutions begin their academic year in February and conclude it in November, meaning NSFAS payments typically run from February to November.
What Unisa Students Receive from NSFAS
Unisa students who are funded by NSFAS are entitled to two specific allowances: the Learning Materials Allowance and the Living Allowance.
Learning Materials Allowance
The Learning Materials Allowance is calculated based on the number of modules a student is enrolled in:
- Students receive R700 per module for the first four modules.
- For students registered for five or more modules, a one-time payment of R5,460 is provided.
If a student has already received the R5,460 allowance for their first five modules, no additional allowance will be granted for any extra modules. This allowance is intended to cover the cost of textbooks and other study materials necessary for their courses.
Living Allowance
The Living Allowance is provided to students who are enrolled in 10 or more modules. Additionally, students registered for 10 or more modules qualify for an incidental allowance, as specified by Unisa.
