Must You Reapply For NSFAS If You're Going From TVET College To University?

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a comprehensive financial aid programme designed to empower deserving students in South Africa. This is done through bursaries and loans to pursue a higher education qualification.

NSFAS provides funding to students who come from poor and working class backgrounds, studying towards a qualification from one of the 26 public universities or 50 TVET Colleges.

In this article, we'll be answering the question: must you reapply for NSFAS if you're going from TVET college to university?

Do you need to reapply for NSFAS if you're transferring from TVET college to university?

A common academic pathway is to go from TVET College to a university, after achieving your National Certificate qualification. These students are still able to qualify for NSFAS funding as this is a NSFAS approved academic progression pathway.

NSFAS has made it clear that, "the only approved University progression pathway is from a qualification that has been
defined as a certificate qualification to a qualification that has been defined as an undergraduate qualification".

It's important to remember that NSFAS only funds students studying towards their first certificate or undergraduate qualification.

Do these students need to reapply or are they automatically funded if they were funded before?

According to the NSFAS Eligibility Criteria and Conditions for Financial Aid, it says:

Students who change institution types (i.e., shift from TVET College to University or vice versa) must re-apply for funding.

This means that yes, students transferring from TVET College to university will need to reapply for NSFAS funding.

How To Apply For NSFAS

1. Create a myNsfas account 
   • If you have an existing myNsfas account, click on 'login' when going to myNsfas and complete your information
   • If you don't have a myNsfas account, click on 'Create account'
2. Log into your myNsfas account
3. Click on 'Apply'
4. Answer the questions on the screen
5. If necessary upload any supporting documents (often you don't have to!)
6. Click on 'Submit'
7. You will then receive an application reference number

NSFAS funding goes beyond simply covering tuition fees – NSFAS offers a range of NSFAS allowances to support various student needs throughout their tertiary education journey. These NSFAS allowances can cover expenses like accommodation, transport, learning materials, and living costs.