1.     STUDENT REQUIREMENTS

The student will need recently certified copies of the following documents to be submitted with the application:

• RSA birth certificate (preferably unabridged) or ID
• ID’s of parents and/or guardian (or death certificate if applicable)
• Salary advice/letter of employment or pension advice or SASSA letter
• Completed and signed application form

 1.1   FIRST TIME WALK–IN APPLICANT

This is a student who has not applied for NSFAS funding before, through the online process, or NSFAS does not have a record of application for this student.

Step 1: The college official will give the student an application form where all sections of the from should be completed, all required additional documentation attached and the form signed by all relevant parties.

Step 2: The form will be given to the college official who will capture it online using assistive capture and scan the form immediately or at the earliest convenient time.

Step 3: The form will be filed for auditing and metro-file purposes (detailed process outlined in the ppt document)

 1.2   PROVISIONALLY FUNDED STUDENTS AT NSFAS

Students who have applied online in 2018 for the 2019 academic year.

Step 1: NSFAS FAO PORTAL: Students who applied online during the November 2018 for 2019 academic year NSFAS have already been evaluated and the funding status of these students is available on the NSFAS portal. A college can either download a list from the portal or query individual ID numbers.

Step 2: NSFAS ASSITIVE CAPTURE SYSTEM: Colleges can use the search application functionality on the application dashboard (assistive capture screen) to check the application status of a student who claims to have applied at NSFAS already.

Step 3: if the student is found on the search application functionality on the application dashboard, then the student will be given the application form, but should only complete signs section 2 & 4 of the form which will then serve as a signed SOP.

Step 4: The form will be filed for auditing and metro-file purposes (detailed process outlined in the ppt document).

1.3   STUDENTS WHO APPLIED AT NSFAS, BUT NO RECORDS FOUND

These are students who have an application reference number but when checked on the search application functionality on the application dashboard, the feedback is that no active application exists for the ID number provided. (if this occurs, it will only be in exceptional circumstances)

Step 1: The college official will give the student an application form where all sections of the from should be filled and signed.

Step 2: The form will be given to the college official who will capture it online using assistive capture.

 Please note, should the college official get an “application with same ID exist already” error during capturing of the application form on the online assistive capture, this must be escalated to NSFAS immediately via the servicedesk@nsfas.org.za and the regional official responsible for that College.

 1.4   RETURNING STUDENTS

NSFAS has already provided a list of students who were funded in 2018 to the Exams Unit in the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The Exams Unit will continue to provide the exam data on progression of students. Any discrepancies between College and Exams Unit data will be dealt with through exceptions.

1.5   ASSISTIVE CAPTURING

The process for capturing applications through assistive capture remains the same as for the previous application windows. Communication was sent to TVET Colleges on Friday, 04 January 2019 requesting institutions to advise NSFAS on individuals that should be given login access to the assistive capture system as these would be the only individuals with access to capture on the system. Colleges are urged to test the login credentials before the opening of applications. Should you experience any issues, please email servicedesk@nsfas.org.za give details of the issue and your username only. Our IT Helpdesk team will attend to your query.

For queries please feel free to contact Vuyokazi Mafilika at mafilikav@nsfas.org.za. Kind regards

YOU MAY APPLY IF:

• You are a South African citizen with a household income of R350 000 per annum or less and have not been approved for NSFAS funding in 2019.
• You are a South African citizen with a household income of R350 000 per annum or less and have not applied for NSFAS funding before.
• You are a South African citizen with a household income of R350 000 per annum or less and plan to study at a public university or TVET College in 2020 for the first time and require funding.

DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO APPLY FOR AN NSFAS BURSARY

• Certified copy of your ID book/birth certificate.
• Certified copy of ID of parents/guardians or certified copy of death certificate of parents/guardians or affidavit.
• Certified copy of ED of spouse if student is married.
• Certified copy of spouse’s death certificate if student is widow/widower.
• Certified copy of the divorce decree of the student is divorced.
• Certified copy of latest results.
• Travel documents (e.g. invoice or affidavit).
• Accommodation document (e.g. invoice, affidavit or rental agreement).
• Employment documents – salary advice slips not older than 3 months of both parents or guardians OR SASSA letter OR pension slip if the parents/guardians are pensioners. If the parents/guardians are unemployed, an affidavit is required.
• A completed and signed consent form, which you may download here and must be filled in with your parent/guardian’s signatures. Applications without a consent form signed by all people whose incomes have been declared in the application will not be accepted and will be considered incomplete.
• If you have a disability, please download the Disability Annexure A from nsfas.org.za, complete it and submit with your application.
• The stamps on all certified documents should not be older than 3 months.
• Please apply online at nsfas.org.za, or contact the Student Support Officer on the campus where you want to study.

Please take note: the college will do a DHET NSFAS means test to see if you qualify for a bursary.

APPLICATIONS

This website provides a service that allows you to APPLY for a course at a specific campus. This does NOT imply that you are registered for the course and a space for you is NOT reserved.

Please make sure you have the following ready before you apply:

• Valid e-mail address
• Valid cellphone number
• Certified copy of birth certificate/identity document
• Certified copy of most recent academic results
• Certified copy of proof of residential address of parents/guardian or municipal account
• Certified copy of identity document of parent/guardian
• The stamps on all certified documents should not be older than 3 months

Foreign Nationals:

• Certified copy of your passport
• Non-RSA qualifications: the onus rests with all international applicants to have their school qualifications evaluated by SAQA before submitting the application form.
• SAQA can be contacted on the following numbers:

Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications Call Centre – +27 12 431 5070

Helpdesk – 27 86 010 3188

Switchboard – +27 12 431 5000

Fax – +27 12 431 5039

Website – www.saqa.org.za

Once you are in the possession of a valid study permit, valid passport and any necessary visa, you can complete the application form.www.nsfas.org.za