THE National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has paid R1, 3 billion to 26 public universities. The funds are an advance payment of registration fees for students from disadvantaged backgrounds so that they can be admitted to study at university. The payment equates to at least 15 per cent of total and final budget that each university may get for enrolling students, who are eligible for government funding.
NSFAS spokesperson, Kagisho Mamabolo said the scheme expected universities to work with them to ensure that registration of funded students progressed as smoothly as possible because government had confirmed funding.
“All returning students who were funded in 2016, should not panic as they will automatically be funded in 2017 without having to apply for financial aid, provided they have signed the agreement form for financial assistance and they have passed at least 50 per cent of their enrolled modules,” he said.
While there are still some students who have not received confirmatory SMSes from NSFAS, more than 160 000 students have been approved for funding and NSFAS is confident that no student who has secured space will be turned away because of a lack of funding.
Mamabolo has however reassured the public, saying the Scheme will continue to approve more students every day and is expected to finalise all applications by close of business on 27 January 2017.
“Applications for funding for university students are now officially closed, and there will be no extension, while TVET college students still have until midnight on 14 February 2017 to submit their applications. We expect that our students will be treated fairly and not be discriminated against based on their backgrounds,” he said.
NSFAS management is expected to address the nation on the 2017 financial aid statistics awarded to students at universities and TVET colleges, by next week.
Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
