To apply to NSFAS you must be a South African citizen or permanent resident with a valid SA ID number, going to a public university or TVET college, and your household income must be R350 000 or less a year (R600 000 or less if you have a disability; verified SASSA grant recipients automatically meet the income requirement). Applying is free.
This page covers the current cycle, which is for the 2027 academic year. Applications open on 18 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026 at 23:59 South African time, and late applications cannot be accepted. Apply at my.nsfas.org.za; the official steps are on the NSFAS how-to-apply page.
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
- South African citizen or permanent resident with a valid South African ID number
- Registered at a public university or TVET college; private institutions are not funded
- Gross combined household income within the threshold, or a verified SASSA grant
- A higher household income limit of R600 000 for applicants with disabilities
- Continuing students must meet academic progression rules
You can apply while you are in Grade 12, before you have been accepted anywhere. Funding is confirmed once you register at a public university or TVET college.
Income and Affordability Requirements
For the bursary, the gross combined household income must be R350 000 or less a year if you are not a SASSA recipient. SASSA grant recipients validated by NSFAS automatically meet the financial requirement, including those on Foster Care, Care Dependency and Child Support grants. The thresholds are in the NSFAS FAQs.
Household income between R350 000 and R600 000 may qualify undergraduates for the NSFAS loan instead; see the loan requirements.
NSFAS checks income against third-party sources, including Home Affairs, SARS and SASSA.
Credit and Financial Requirements
The NSFAS bursary application does not state a credit check. NSFAS is a registered credit provider, so a loan is different: it is repayable and can be reported to credit bureaus. Confirm the position with NSFAS if you are unsure which funding applies to you.
Applying to NSFAS is free. Anyone charging a fee is committing fraud. Use only nsfas.org.za and my.nsfas.org.za, or call 08000 67327.
Documents and Verification Required
NSFAS lists these documents for the 2027 cycle:
- Your South African ID or smart ID (an unabridged birth certificate if you are under 18)
- Payslips or an IRP5 for everyone who earns in your household, and a SASSA letter if applicable
- An affidavit confirming that there is no income, if your household has none
- ID copies of your parents or legal guardian, and a death certificate where a parent has died
- A signed and dated NSFAS consent form (APP2027)
- The disability annexure, completed and signed by you and a medical practitioner, if you have a disability
- The Orphan or Vulnerable Child Form, if you are under 18 and relevant
- The Declaration Form, if you are 34 or younger and cannot provide your parent or guardian’s information
Phone photos are fine if every corner is visible and the text is readable. Forms must be in black ink and capital letters, with corrections initialled; use the current-year form and upload both pages. The consent form must be signed by hand, with no electronic signatures. An inaccurate, incomplete or unsigned consent form means your application is closed and marked as rejected.
How to Apply and Improve Approval Readiness
- Create your myNSFAS profile online or in the NSFAS mobile app, with your correct personal information
- Log in and click APPLY
- Complete the form and attach your documents, including the signed consent form
- Check everything and submit before 31 October 2026
If you are rejected, you can appeal within 30 working days of the outcome through your myNSFAS profile; income appeals need changed circumstances or evidence of income under the threshold. See the NSFAS appeals page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for an NSFAS application?
Be a South African citizen or permanent resident going to a public university or TVET, have household income within the threshold, and submit your ID, proof of income and a signed consent form on myNSFAS before the window closes.
When do NSFAS 2027 applications close?
Applications for the 2027 academic year close on 31 October 2026 at 23:59 South African time. Late applications cannot be accepted. The 2026 intake has already closed.
Is applying to NSFAS the same as applying to my institution?
NSFAS says you can apply before being accepted, and that funding is confirmed once you register at a public university or TVET college. Check your institution for its own application rules.
What is the income threshold?
R350 000 or less gross combined household income a year, or R600 000 or less for applicants with disabilities. Verified SASSA grant recipients automatically meet the financial requirement.
What if my household has no income?
Submit an affidavit confirming that there is no income, together with any SASSA grant letter that applies to your household.
What if my application is rejected?
Appeal within 30 working days of receiving the outcome, through your myNSFAS profile.
Confirm the current dates and documents with NSFAS at myNSFAS. See the NSFAS requirements, loan requirements and browse all finance and funding requirements.