Photo by: Duane Daws
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has dispersed some R1.3-billion to 26 public universities for the registration of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The advanced payment of the registration fees is aimed at allowing university students to be admitted for their studies at the various institutions, with the funding body expecting universities to “work with them” to ensure the registration of the funded students “goes as smooth as possible”.
“This payment equates to at least 15% of total and final budget that each university may get for enrolling students who are eligible for government funding, when a final reconciliation of the numbers of enrolled students is confirmed at the end of the registration period,” said NSFAS spokesperson Kagisho Mamabolo in a statement this week.
Over 160 000 students have been approved for funding to date, with all applications for university funding received by NSFAS to be finalised by January 27.
“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% of their enrolled modules,” he clarified.
Technical and vocational education and training college students still have until midnight February 14 to submit their applications for funding.