The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, welcomes the decision by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Board to request the database for unfunded 2021 registered students eligible for NSFAS funding in all universities.

The NSFAS Board, after careful consideration of the plight of currently registered university students that were not able to apply for funding during the funding application window due to a number of reasons, resolved to grant a once-off application window period for those students to apply. All universities are required to send their exhaustive list by no later than 17 August 2021 to be considered for this once-off opportunity.

The application period will open for a two-week period, from 18 August 2021 – 3 September 2021. NSFAS encourages all universities to notify students to ensure that they apply and have all the relevant supporting documents as applications submitted after the closing date will not be considered.

Minister Nzimande would like to restate the NSFAS Board decision that this initiative is not intended to create any future precedence and has also factored in, amongst other things, the NSFAS available funds. The initiative is aimed at alleviating the financial burden of eligible and deserving students but also minimizing the burden of student debt. “We are indeed a caring government and Ministry”, emphasised Minister Nzimande.

This concession is applied only to qualifying students who are registered in the 2021 academic cycle and are without any other form of bursary and requisite financial support. -endIssued by: Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation DST Building (53), CSIR Campus Meiring Naude Road Brummeria Pretoria