To qualify for NSFAS you must be a South African citizen or permanent resident with a valid SA ID number, registered at a public university or TVET college, and your household must meet the income test: combined annual income of R350,000 or less, or R600,000 or less if you have a disability. SASSA grant recipients meet the financial test automatically. These figures are from the 2026 NSFAS eligibility policy standard (2026 academic year).
For the 2027 academic year, applications open on 18 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026 at 23:59 South African time. Applying is free, and you apply through myNSFAS.
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
- A South African citizen or permanent resident, of any age, with a valid South African ID number
- Registered at a public higher education institution; NSFAS does not fund students at private institutions
- Studying a SAQA-accredited qualification at a public institution for which bursaries are available, as approved by DHET; at university NSFAS funds only your first certificate or undergraduate qualification
- Household income within the limit, or a SASSA grant recipient (see below)
- A signed consent form from you and your parent, guardian or spouse
- For continuing students, meeting the academic progression rules
Academic progression is measured by the percentage of modules you pass in the year. A university student who is not a first-time entering student must pass 50% of registered modules to be funded the next year. At a TVET college the figure is 70% of modules or courses, with at least 5 subjects passed for NC(V) progression and at least 3 for Report 191. We explain this in more detail on our page on NSFAS pass requirements.
Continuing students do not reapply every year. You must reapply if you change institution type, or if you deregister or drop out and later resume.
Income and Affordability Requirements
This is what NSFAS means by assessing financial eligibility: it checks your combined annual household income against a limit.
- Applicants who are not SASSA recipients qualify if combined annual household income is R350,000 or less
- Applicants with a disability qualify if combined annual household income is R600,000 or less
- Recipients of a SASSA Foster Care, Care Dependency or Child Support grant automatically meet the financial criteria, provided they are registered at an institution and academically eligible
For an unmarried applicant, household income is the gross income, from all sources, of your mother, your father and you. Where a guardian or spouse applies instead, their details are used. NSFAS also uses third-party data sources over and above the income you declare.
Check the 2027 policy standard on the NSFAS website for the limits for your intake before relying on them.
Credit and Financial Requirements
NSFAS does not publish a credit-score requirement. It does, however, verify your financial eligibility against outside sources, including SARS, SASSA and credit verification agencies. The consent form is what allows NSFAS to use third-party sources such as SARS and a credit bureau to verify household income. A credit check may therefore form part of verifying your household, even though there is no credit score you must reach.
Documents and Verification Required
The NSFAS how-to-apply page lists the forms for the 2027 intake. myNSFAS generates the document list that applies to you.
- Consent form (form APP2027): required from everyone, signed by you and by your parent, guardian or spouse. It lets NSFAS verify your details and theirs against third-party sources.
- Declaration form: attests that the information you gave is accurate. It applies only to applicants aged 34 or younger.
- Disability annexure with a medical report, if you are applying as a person with a disability
- Orphan or vulnerable child declaration, for applicants under 18
Forms must be printed and completed by hand in black ink and capital letters. Electronic signatures are not accepted. Upload a photo or scan of every page to your myNSFAS account.
The official declaration form is available as a PDF download from NSFAS. We do not host NSFAS forms; always download the current one from NSFAS itself.
How to Apply and Improve Approval Readiness
- Register on myNSFAS with your South African ID number, cellphone number and email address
- Complete the online application and upload the forms that apply to you
- Track your application status on myNSFAS
- Apply before 23:59 on 31 October 2026 for the 2027 academic year
Applying to NSFAS is free. Never pay anyone to apply and never share your one-time PIN.
Documents are commonly rejected for these reasons: cut-off corners, blurry images, a missing or electronic signature, pencil or correction fluid, last year’s version of the form, only one page of a two-page form uploaded, or names that do not match your ID. Check each of these before you upload.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for NSFAS?
You need to be a South African citizen or permanent resident with a valid ID, registered at a public university or TVET college for a funded qualification, with household income of R350,000 or less (R600,000 or less with a disability) or a SASSA grant. You also need a signed consent form, and continuing students must meet the progression rules.
What is the NSFAS declaration form?
It is a form confirming that the information you gave, including your parent or guardian’s details, is accurate. It applies only to applicants aged 34 or younger. Download the official PDF from NSFAS.
What is the NSFAS consent form?
Everyone applying must submit it. You and your parent, guardian or spouse sign it to let NSFAS verify your household information against third-party sources. For 2027 it is form APP2027, available in the documents section of the how-to-apply page.
Which NSFAS forms do I need?
The consent form is for everyone. The declaration form is for applicants aged 34 or younger. A disability annexure applies if you have a disability, and an orphan or vulnerable child declaration applies if you are under 18.
When does NSFAS close?
For the 2027 academic year, applications close on 31 October 2026 at 23:59 South African time.
Does NSFAS check my credit record?
NSFAS publishes no credit-score criterion, but verification may use credit verification agencies and the consent form allows credit bureau checks.
Confirm current requirements and dates with NSFAS through myNSFAS. See loan requirements and browse all finance and funding requirements.