To qualify for an NSFAS bursary you must be a South African citizen or permanent resident with a valid SA ID, registered for an approved undergraduate qualification at a public university or TVET college, and come from a household with a gross combined income of R350,000 or less a year. The limit is R600,000 if you have a disability, and SASSA grant recipients meet the income test automatically (see the NSFAS FAQs).
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds students at public institutions only. Applications for the 2027 academic year open on 18 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026 at 23:59 South African time, and late applications cannot be accepted (NSFAS how to apply).
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
These are the core criteria in the NSFAS 2026 Bursary Guidelines.
- A South African citizen or permanent resident with a valid South African ID number, regardless of age
- Registered at a public university or TVET college. Private institutions are not funded
- Studying an approved undergraduate qualification
- Gross combined household income of R350,000 or less a year, or R600,000 or less if you have a disability
- Or a verified SASSA grant, which meets the financial requirement automatically
- A signed consent form so NSFAS can verify your information
NSFAS does not fund a second undergraduate qualification, postgraduate study under the bursary, or a student whose full costs are already covered by a non-NSFAS bursary or loan. The bursary can cover registration and tuition fees, a learning material allowance, a living allowance, personal care and transport, and accommodation where applicable. The allowance amounts change, so confirm the current figures with NSFAS.
Income and Affordability Requirements
NSFAS uses gross (before tax) household income, combined. If you are unmarried it adds your parent or parents’ income; if you have a legal guardian, the guardian’s; if you are married, your spouse’s. If you are an independent learner over 34 and financially self-sufficient, only your own gross income counts.
- R350,000 or less a year for most applicants
- R600,000 or less a year for applicants with a disability
- SASSA grant recipients, once NSFAS validates the grant, automatically meet the financial criteria. The Foster Care, Care Dependency and Child Support grants are named in the guidelines
A household income above R350,000 is not a bursary case. NSFAS offers a separate loan for the R350,000 to R600,000 band, covered in the loan section linked at the end of this page.
Credit and Financial Requirements
The published bursary criteria focus on your income and circumstances rather than a credit check, and NSFAS verifies them against third-party sources including Home Affairs, SARS and SASSA. For that reason the consent form is essential: if it is inaccurate, incomplete or unsigned, NSFAS cannot assess your application and it is closed as rejected.
Once you are funded, the financial conditions that matter are academic. Funding is not guaranteed year to year:
- A non-FTEN university student must pass 50% of the modules registered in a year to be funded the following year
- A non-FTEN TVET student must pass 70%
- N+1 applies to NSFAS-funded students, where N is the minimum time to complete the qualification. Students with a disability qualify for N+2
Documents and Verification Required
The official list on the NSFAS how-to-apply page for the 2027 cycle is:
- Your SA ID or smart ID, or an unabridged birth certificate if you are under 18
- Payslips or an IRP5 for everyone in the household who earns
- A SASSA letter, if applicable
- An affidavit confirming no income, if there is none
- ID copies of your parent(s) or legal guardian, and a death certificate where a parent has died
- The signed and dated NSFAS consent form (APP2027)
- The disability annexure or the orphan and vulnerable child form, where relevant
Phone photos are fine as long as every corner is visible and the text is readable. Use the current-year form, complete it in black ink and upload both pages. NSFAS does not state a certification requirement for copies, so do not assume you need to pay for certified copies.
How to Apply and Improve Approval Readiness
- Create your myNSFAS profile at my.nsfas.org.za or in the NSFAS mobile app, using your correct personal details
- 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
You do not have to be accepted by an institution before you apply. To improve your chances, have every household income document ready, make sure names and ID numbers match across documents, and sign the consent form properly. If your application is unsuccessful you can appeal within 30 working days of receiving the outcome, through your myNSFAS profile. See the guidelines for the grounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the requirement for a NSFAS bursary?
You need South African citizenship or permanent residence, registration at a public university or TVET college for an approved first undergraduate qualification, and household income of R350,000 or less (R600,000 with a disability) or a SASSA grant. After your first year you must also meet the academic progression rules.
What are the requirements to apply for the NSFAS bursary?
Apply on myNSFAS during the application window, with your ID, household income documents, parent or guardian ID copies and a signed consent form. Applications for 2027 close on 31 October 2026.
Does NSFAS fund private colleges?
No. NSFAS funds students at public universities and TVET colleges only.
Do I have to repay the NSFAS bursary?
A bursary generally does not need to be repaid if you meet its conditions. A loan, which NSFAS offers for the R350,000 to R600,000 household income band, must be repaid.
What if I receive a SASSA grant?
Verified SASSA grant recipients meet the financial requirement automatically. You still need to meet the other criteria and submit the consent form.
What happens if I fail?
Non-FTEN university students must pass 50% of their registered modules and TVET students 70% to be funded the next year, within the N+1 limit (N+2 for students with a disability).
Confirm your situation with NSFAS through myNSFAS. See the finance and funding requirements hub and compare loan requirements.