It is important for students to apply for bursaries, scholarships and or loans before the closing date.

Students are advised to plan for thier studies prior to registering at UFH. Once a student is registered with the university, it is advisable to always check his/ her emails for information about bursaries that have been advertised.

Applying for a loan, bursary or scholarship does not guarantee you will get it as we deal with large number of students that exceed the funds that are available. Make sure your plan your finances well in advance.

Late and incomplete application forms will not be considered.

Students are urged to attach all the necessary documents as stated in the application form.

UFH has limited number of bursaries; please consult with the Financial Aid/ Bursary office for further assistance. If a student has a bursary from outside, he/she must make sure  that he/ she brings a copy of the letter to the Financial Aid/ Bursary office before registration.

Applicants are advised to send their applications directly to the organisation offering bursary not to UFH/ Financial Aid/Bursary Office. The postal addresses are listed in the booklet.

Please read instructions carefully, if you do not understand contact Financial Aid/ Bursary Office before sending off your application.

NSFAS does not cover full fees, family contribution is needed.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)

Application forms and information for NSFAS can be obtained from UFH Financial Aid

office. The application forms must be accompanied by all stated supporting documents, eg, Certified ID copy of student/ applicant, Certified ID copies of both parents, if one/both are deceased- certified death certificate, income statement/ payslip of both parents if they are working, if they are not working an affidavit stating they are not working, if they are getting a grant, a proof showing that, if the applicant has brothers and sisters, their certified ID/ birth certificates copies, if they are registered with other tertiary institutions, proof of that is also required. Original documents and copies must be taken to the nearest Police station/ local Post Office for the stamp.

All those documents must be certified with the stamp not older than three (3) months.

Original documents are not accepted. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure that the application form is fully/ correctly completed.

On submission of NSFAS application form, student will receive a receipt, which should be kept as a proof of application, without it, is your word against ours. Please present your slip at all times to the Financial Aid/Bursary Office.

NSFAS is only available for South African citizens.

Students will be notified in writing if they have been successful or not in December by post.

Students have to apply for the loan every year. Closing date for current students is 31st August each year.

All students can apply for a loan from the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), a government loan scheme with the added incentive of a bursary conversion (max 40%) depending on academic performance. The parent’s/family’s contribution towards the student’s study cost is called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and is calculated using the Government’s National Means Test.

Financial Aid Office

University of Fort Hare

Private Bag X1314 • Alice • 5700

Contact Person: Mr Alberto Lai-wing

Tel: 043-704 7007

Email: alai-wing@ufh.ac.za