NSFAS approves 300,000 funding applications

© Brian Jackson – 123RF.com

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the scheme said of the 417,000 applications received, more than 300,000 students have been given the stamp of approval, pending registration at public institutions for NSFAS funded qualifications.

In December, NSFAS Administrator Randall Carolissen called for a review of the 109,000 applications that were initially unsuccessful for the 2019 academic year.

“Following this process, over 60,000 of these applicants, have subsequently been declared financially eligible. As NSFAS processed applications in the pipeline, the number of unsuccessful applicants escalated to 65,000,” said scheme spokesperson Kagisho Mamabolo.

Unfortunately, he said, several students were unsuccessful based on information that received from credit bureaus regarding their household income.

“Should a student want to dispute this outcome because of changes to the household income or SASSA status, they may lodge an appeal by providing the necessary documentation to NSFAS,” Mamabolo said.

NSFAS said an appeal form can be downloaded from the NSFAS website, www.nsfas.org.za, and must be completed and submitted to the Financial Aid Office at the institution.

Alternatively, students can submit appeals directly to NSFAS, along with the required documentation, to az.gro.safsn@weivernoitacilppa. The closing date for appeals is 8 March 2019.

Appeals will only be considered on the following grounds:

• Material change in combined household income (proof of loss of income needed with a fully completed NSFAS form for students that were not previously funded);
  
• Loss of a bursary/sponsor in the 2018 academic cycle (documented proof should be provided and should be accompanied by a fully completed NSFAS application form);
  
• Failure to meet academic criteria where prior academic performance has been satisfactory (provide supporting information and documentation that provides details of the reasons that affected performance);
  
• Failure to meet academic criteria due to medical condition (s) or death of an immediate family member (provide supporting information and documentation);
  
• Student had a gap year in NSFAS funding or failed to register previously and could not reapply for funding;
  
• More than one student from the same household concurrently enrolled at a university/TVET college; and
  
• Applying for an approved post graduate qualification (see section F on the appeal form for list).

Students are encouraged to log in on the myNSFAS self-service portal www.nsfas.org.za to check their application status update, for those students that have been approved for funding, their status will now reflect as: ‘Approved for funding subject to registration’, and for those who have been rejected for funding, the status will reflect as ‘Application unsuccessful’.