By: Natasha Archary

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has extended the application deadline to 15 February 2024.
Applications for the student financial aid were open from 21 November 2023, and were supposed to close on 31 January 2024, however the deadline was extended after consultation between the NSFAS board and the South African Union of Students (SAUS).
NSFAS has received 1 745 226 applications so far, and the new Comprehensive Student Funding Model aims to support students including those currently not supported by NSFAS bursary and funding policy.
Both NSFAS and SAUS agreed that students who have already applied for the NSFAS bursary scheme need not submit a new application for the student loan scheme.
“All students who did not meet the bursary scheme eligibility criteria, however, did meet the loan scheme eligibility criteria, will be automatically offered a loan for their consideration.
This category includes students who come from families who have a total income of more than R350 000, but not more than R600 000 per annum.”
Prospective loan scheme applicants can apply through an online application form, where they create a profile, apply, and submit the application.
The application form can be accessed on the NSFAS website on www.nsfas.org.za.
In order to qualify for the loan, students should meet the following criteria:
- Students whose annual household income is between R350 000 to R 600 000
- TVET and university (public) students
- Undergraduate or postgraduate students
- 70% Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes (which may be adjusted to include commercial programmes that are in demand in the labour market or entrepreneurial programmes)
- 30% Social Sciences programmes
- Students willing to sign a loan agreement
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