For an NSFAS application you need a copy of your SA ID, proof of household income (payslips or an IRP5, a SASSA letter, or an affidavit if there is no income), ID copies of your parent(s) or legal guardian, and the signed NSFAS consent form. Disability and orphan or vulnerable child applicants add one more form each (NSFAS how to apply).
Applications can fail on how documents are presented rather than on eligibility, and NSFAS names the common mistakes below. Applications for the 2027 academic year open on 18 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026 at 23:59 South African time, so gather everything now.
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
The core document set for the 2027 cycle:
- 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 there is 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 consent form (APP2027)
- The disability annexure or the orphan and vulnerable child form, where they apply
Only South African citizens and permanent residents studying at a public university or TVET college qualify, so confirm your eligibility first on the NSFAS FAQs.
Income and Affordability Requirements
Your income documents are what NSFAS uses to test affordability: gross combined household income of R350,000 or less a year, or R600,000 or less if you have a disability. SASSA grant recipients meet the financial requirement automatically once NSFAS validates the grant.
- Someone in the household earns: payslips or an IRP5 for each earner
- A SASSA grant: the SASSA letter
- No income: an affidavit confirming that there is no income, together with any SASSA grant letter that applies
NSFAS lists payslips, an IRP5 and a SASSA letter as proof of income. It does not say other forms of proof are accepted, so ask NSFAS before relying on anything else, such as a pension slip.
Credit and Financial Requirements
NSFAS’s document list does not include credit records. It checks your income details against Home Affairs, SARS and SASSA records, and the consent form is what lets it do that. The form is signed by the applicant and by the parent, guardian or spouse, in black ink, with no electronic signatures. If it is inaccurate, incomplete or unsigned, your application cannot be assessed and is closed as rejected.
Documents and Verification Required
NSFAS gives eight common reasons documents fail:
- Cut-off corners
- A blurry image
- A missing or electronic signature
- Pencil or coloured ink
- Correction fluid, or a change that was not initialled
- Last year’s version of the form
- Only one page of a two-page form uploaded
- Names or ID numbers that do not match
Phone photos are fine as long as every corner is visible and the text can be read. Forms must be in black ink and capital letters, with corrections initialled. Use the current-year form and upload both pages.
NSFAS lists “ID copies” and does not state a certification requirement or a cost for commissioning an affidavit. Confirm with NSFAS before paying for certification.
Other forms:
- Declaration form: only applicants aged 34 or younger, and only if the usual parent information cannot be provided
- Disability annexure: completed and signed by you and a medical practitioner, and submitted with the medical report as one file
- Orphan and vulnerable child form: for applicants under 18, completed by a social worker or authorised official
How to Apply and Improve Approval Readiness
- Create your myNSFAS profile at my.nsfas.org.za or in the NSFAS mobile app
- 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
Download the forms from the NSFAS how-to-apply page. Check each upload against the list of mistakes above before you submit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents are required for NSFAS?
Your SA ID, proof of household income, ID copies of your parent(s) or guardian (and a death certificate if a parent has died), and the signed consent form (APP2027). Disability and under-18 orphan applicants add their own forms.
What documents do I need for an NSFAS application?
The same core set, with a Declaration form added if you are 34 or younger and cannot provide the usual parent information. Upload clear photos with all corners visible through myNSFAS.
What if my parent is unemployed?
Submit an affidavit confirming that there is no income, together with any SASSA grant letter that applies to your household.
What if I receive a SASSA grant?
Include the SASSA letter. Validated SASSA grant recipients meet the financial requirement automatically.
Do I need a birth certificate?
Only if you are under 18, when an unabridged birth certificate is required. Otherwise your SA ID or smart ID is used.
Where do I get documents certified?
NSFAS does not state a certification rule in its published pages; it asks for ID copies and accepts clear phone photos. Check with NSFAS before paying for certification.
Why was my application rejected when I qualify?
Common causes NSFAS lists are a missing or electronic signature, blurry or cut-off images, last year’s form, or one page of a two-page form. If you think the outcome is wrong you can appeal through your myNSFAS profile.
Confirm what applies to you with NSFAS through myNSFAS. See the finance and funding requirements hub and compare loan requirements.