Pretoria:Students who have not yet applied for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding for the 2027 academic year have only four days left to submit their applications before the closing date on 31 October.
According to South African Government News Agency, applications opened on 18 September 2026, with NSFAS recording 868,626 applications on its dashboard by 19 October. The figures indicate that 800,382 applications were submitted by prospective university students, while 68,244 were from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college applicants.
The data reveals that female applicants accounted for 616,558 (70.98%) of the total, with male applicants numbering 252,068 (29.02%). Additionally, the dashboard showed that 653,778 applicants were beneficiaries of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), while 214,848 were non-SASSA applicants.
Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has encouraged prospective students, particularly those currently in Grade 12, to apply before the deadline. He emphasized the importance of not waiting until the last minute and warned against paying anyone to assist with the application process.
Applications can be submitted through the official NSFAS website, www.nsfas.org.za, or via the official NSFAS mobile application. NSFAS has advised applicants to ensure the accuracy and completeness of their information and to submit all required supporting documents. The scheme has also cautioned against fraudulent social media accounts and unauthorized individuals who demand payment for application assistance or promise guaranteed funding.
