The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has temporarily placed a few of its officials around South Africa's public university and TVET college campuses.
The officials have the duty of resolving queries and challenges students may be dealing with, in relation to the bursary scheme, and will be on and around campuses until 17 February, 2023.
The reason for placing NSFAS officials in and around institutions of tertiary education is the scheme's effort to bring information and resources surrounding the NSFAS bursary closer to students, therefore making it more accessible.
Students are advised to visit their institution's financial aid office on campus, and request for a NSFAS representative to provide them with help related to their queries and challenges.
According to the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande, the student financial aid provider has also released a list of all students that are approved to receive funding for the 2023 academic year.
While NSFAS has made efforts to make its student funding application process accessible, monthly allowance allocations have been a recurring issue between the bursary scheme and student representatives within institutions of higher learning.
Luckily, students whose NSFAS funding applications have been given the stamp of approval are in for some good news, following the efforts of varsity student movements to persuade the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to reassess allowance allocations.
A recent statement by the South African Union of Students (SAUS) indicates that the Higher Education Department, along with the bursary scheme, had initially proposed and approved a 5% increase in food allowances. However, the student movement managed to convince NSFAS and the DHET to approve a 10% increment instead.
NSFAS is a South African government-funded student financial aid scheme that was formally converted to a bursary scheme in 2018, providing financial support to students from low-income families who wish to study at all public higher education institutions throughout the country, including universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.
