The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has announced that its teams will be stationed across South Africa at all 50 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.
This initiative aims to improve bursary administration processes and ensure a smooth start to the 2025 academic year.
When will NSFAS team be on my campus?
From 13 January to 7 March 2025, NSFAS will deploy 50 Servicing Administrators to assist TVET colleges. Each administrator will rotate between three or four colleges during this period. Additionally, 50 graduate interns will be stationed at each college to provide further support.
“Our goal is to ensure students receive the financial assistance they need without unnecessary delays,” NSFAS stated.
Bursary Applications and Data Submission
NSFAS has urged TVET colleges to make full use of the available resources. The focus will be on expediting bursary applications and ensuring the timely submission of accurate student registration data.
The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has also emphasized resolving issues from the 2024 registration period. These included delays in processing funding applications, appeals, allowance disbursements, and challenges with private accommodation.
NSFAS confirmed it will pay 20% of each TVET college’s tuition allocation upfront for the 2025 academic year; this amounts to over R640 million, with a total payment of R641,013,350.00 expected by 10 January 2025.
The Portfolio Committee called on institutions to submit accurate data to prevent delays in allowance payments.
It is also recommended that the Department of Higher Education and Training speed up the standardization of allowances for TVET and university students.
NSFAS believes this collaborative approach will enhance student service delivery, helping them access the financial support needed to succeed in their studies.
Stay tuned for updates as NSFAS rolls out this initiative nationwide.