Government increases aid to NSFAS students
The Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr. Blade Nzimande recently presented some of government’s plans to provide financial support to students in 2025/2026.
Students funded by the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) received special attention during the address as government reaffirmed its intentions to use NSFAS as its primary channel of financial distribution.
“NSFAS has been allocated over R718 million for full bursaries for scarce and critical skills for the current year from the NSF.” ,said Nzimande.
NSFAS Students will also be eager to note that the Department of Higher Education Training (DHET) has made arrangements to pay the registration fees for all NSFAS funded students in January each year.
“NSFAS qualifying students will not pay any registration or upfront fees in 2025/2026 ” ,he said.
Every year frustrations over registration fees spark a new round of students protests but the DHET’s plan to settle this initial cost is expected to prevent the recurring problem.
“In addition, NSFAS has earmarked R76.6 million in the 2025/2026 academic year to provide financial aid to disabled students in universities.”
Nzimande noted that government had also addressed the issue of historical debt of NSFAS qualifying students.
“All NSFAS qualifying students who were registered in 2016, and were successful in their studies, but who have accumulated historical student debt with institutions of higher education, will be allowed to register in 2025/2026.”
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana, and Minister Blade Nzimande discuss the way forward
Did You Know : Top 15 Free Online Learning Platforms
-
Free Online Education Degrees : Coursera:
Coursera partners with universities and organizations worldwide to offer a wide range of courses. While many courses are free, a fee is often required for certification.
-
Free Online Education Degrees: edX:
Founded by MIT and Harvard, edX offers high-quality courses from top universities and institutions around the world. Certificates are available for a fee.
-
Free Online Education Degrees : Khan Academy:
Khan Academy provides free educational content in various subjects, especially mathematics and science, using instructional videos and practice exercises.
-
Free Online Education Degrees : Udacity:
Udacity focuses on tech-related courses and nanodegree programs, offering free content as well as more in-depth paid programs.
-
Free Online Education Degrees : MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW):
MIT OCW provides a vast array of MIT's course content for free, covering a wide range of disciplines.
-
Free Online Education Degrees : Harvard Extension School:
Harvard Extension School offers a selection of free online courses. While some courses are free, others may require payment for a certificate.
-
Free Online Education Degrees: Stanford Online:
Stanford Online offers a variety of free courses in different disciplines, including computer science, engineering, and business.
-
Best Free Online Courses : Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative (OLI):
OLI offers free online courses and resources designed to improve learning outcomes through research-based methodologies.
-
Best Free Online Courses : FutureLearn:
FutureLearn partners with universities and institutions to offer a diverse range of free online courses. Certificates are available for a fee.
-
Best Free Online Courses: Alison:
Alison offers a wide range of free online courses, including diploma and certificate programs, covering various subjects.
-
Best Free Online Courses: Open Yale Courses:
Yale University provides free access to a selection of introductory courses through Open Yale Courses.
-
Best Free Online Courses : UC Berkeley Online:
UC Berkeley offers free online courses on a variety of subjects, ranging from computer science to humanities.
-
Best Free Online Courses : Google Digital Garage:
Google Digital Garage provides free courses on digital skills, including online marketing, data analysis, and more.
-
Best Free Online Courses : Codecademy:
Codecademy offers free coding courses, interactive exercises, and coding projects to help individuals learn programming languages.
-
Best Free Online Courses : LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com):
LinkedIn Learning provides a variety of video courses on professional development, technology, and creative skills. It offers a free trial period.