Financial aid provider, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has revealed that funded students will be receiving a 10% increase in living allowances this year, which will be backdated to the start of the academic year.
According to the bursary scheme, the increase follows Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande’s agreement to the proposal that was put before him a few weeks ago.
Nzimande convened the consultations, which included inputs from various stakeholders and student leadership, including the South African Union of Students (SAUS).
Nsfas spokesperson Slumezi Skosana said this increase is a significant development given that there has not been an increase in student living allowances in the past three years.
All people have been suffering and going through difficult times and students are no different, so it has been a wish and a yearning on our part as NSFAS that we should be able to assist them because the prices of food and everything else has been skyrocketing.
Furthermore, student protests have carried on for weeks at institutions across the country on the account of several concerns, including the recently implemented cap on student accommodation allowances for NSFAS-funded students.
The R45,000 cap on student housing has caused quite a stir amongst students and university management, as challenges to secure enough beds within the budget constraints persists.
Skosana affirmed that the 10% increase on allowances will not affect the student accommodation cap as it will remain at R45,000 per year.
As far as the cap on accommodation is concerned, that one stands for now. There hasn’t been any change and there isn’t going to be any change any time soon.
He continued, “We’ve been in discussions will all stakeholders and university management to try and see how the situation can be mitigated.”
Funded students’ living allowances will be increased from R15 750 (inclusive of personal care – R3 045) to R16 500 (inclusive of the personal care allowance of R3 045).
Nsfas said it will communicate with institutions during this week on the final dates the allowance amendments will be implemented.
