Is Nsfas A Bursary Or Loan

Is Nsfas Funds A Bursary Or Loan

Many students have questions about the nature of NSFAS funding and what it means for their financial future. NSFAS is often referred to as a bursary, but is it a grant or a loan? NSFAS is a bursary program supported by the Department of Higher Education and Training for students who lack the resources to pay for their education and are unable to acquire bank loans, study loans, or other forms of financial aid.

Previously, NSFAS financial assistance came in the form of loans, which must still be repaid after you secure a job after finishing your education. For that particular year/semester, 40% of the NSFAS funds were turned into a bursary if you passed all of your subjects. This indicates that after you begin working, you will only have to pay back 60% of the bursary and not the full 100%. Let’s look at the differences between a bursary and a loan and how NSFAS funding works below.

Are NSFAS Funds a Loan or Bursary? 

The Nsfas bursary is there for  all South Africans who fall under the following category:

•  All South African citizens
•  All SASSA grant recipients qualify for funding
•  Applicants whose combined household income is not more than R350 000 per annum
•  A person with a disability: Combined household income must not be more than R600 000 per annum
•  SASSA recipients automatically qualify for funding and need not submit any proof of income.

Read: How Much Does Nsfas Pay For Accommodation 2025

What Does The Nsfas Bursary Or Loan Cover

Apart from Nsfas paying for registration fees, tuition fees, learning materials, and more, they also provide financial allowances to students to pay for the following:

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS:

• Accommodation(As per the actual costs charged by the university (costs for private accommodation must not exceed costs for university residence)
• Transport (up to 40 km from the institution) R7 500  per annum
• Living allowance R15, of 000  per annum
• Book allowances R5200 per annum
• Incidental/personal care allowance of R2900 per annum for students in catered residences

TVET COLLEGE STUDENTS:

• Accommodation in an urban area is R24,000 per annum
• Accommodation in a peri-urban area R18,900 per annum
• Accommodation in a rural area is R15,750 per annum
• Transport (up to 40 km from the institution) R7,350  per annum
• Transport R7000 per annum
• Incidental/personal care allowance R2900 per annum

Apply for Nsfas 2025-2026

Follow the process below to apply online for the NSFAS:

• Visit the NSFAS Application 2025 website: www.nsfas.org.za/apply-2025.
• Then, you click on the ‘myNSFAS’ tab.
• Create a myNSFAS account.
• Click on the ‘APPLY’ tab.
• Update your personal information.
• Answer the questions you see on the screen.
• Upload all the required supporting documents.
• Finally, click on submit

CONTACT NSFAS

For any queries related to this bursary program, please get in touch with NSFAS directly:

• Tel: 0860 067 327
• Email: info@nsfas.org.za

Hope the information given has been helpful to you, leave your comments in the comments section. Better still you can visit the official website of NSFAS for more details.