Does NSFAS Fund Students Without Matric?
NSFAS is a financial aid scheme that provides higher education funding to South African students who would like to study at TVET Colleges or public universities. Their funding goes beyond tuition fees. However, only certain students are eligible.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) aims to fund those interested in studying further but cannot afford to do so. There are two types of funding from NSFAS, which includes university funding and TVET College funding.
Students who are eligible for NSFAS university funding will receive accommodation fees, tuition fees, transport allowances, living allowances, book allowances and incidental or personal care allowances.
In order to qualify for NSFAS university funding, students will have to meet the following criteria:
- Must be a South African citizen.
- Academically deserving and can demonstrate the ability to succeed in your studies.
- Applied or are applying to study at a public university for a qualification.
- You need to have passed Grade 12 to receive NSFAS funding to study at a university.
- Applicants whose combined household income is not more than R350 000 per annum
- A person with a disability with a combined household income of no more than R600 000 per annum.
- Students who started studying before 2024 whose household income is not more than R122 000 per annum.
Therefore, if you did not pass your matric, you will not be eligible for NSFAS university funding.
Those who applied for NSFAS TVET College funding have to meet the following criteria:
- Must be a South African citizen.
- Must be registered or intending to register on a PLP, NC(V) or Report 191 programme at any of the fifty (50) public TVET Colleges in South Africa.
- Must require financial assistance.
- You need to pass Grade 9, 10, 11, or 12.
- Should you be a returning student, you must demonstrate proven and accepted academic performance in line with the College’s progression policy or the progression prescriptions of the Bursary Rules and Guidelines (whichever is higher).
- Must not be enrolling for a qualification that duplicates previous learning that was state-funded.
- Household income is less than R350,000 per year.
If you meet these requirements, then you will be eligible for NSFAS TVET College funding which covers tuition fees, accommodation fees, and transport allowances.
