NSFAS Bursary 2027, Requirements & Application

Key facts

Status: Applications closed Closed 31 October 2026
Provider: NSFAS
Study level: TVET / college
Academic year: 2027
Last checked: 22 September 2026

NSFAS applications for 2027 opened on 18 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026.

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

Closed · applications closed on 31 October 2026 NSFAS usually opens applications for the following year in September or October. Latest update ↓

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme is the government’s main bursary for students from poor and working-class homes. It pays tuition and allowances at public universities and TVET colleges for students whose household income is below the qualifying limit.

About the NSFAS Bursary

Funds approved programmes at public universities and public TVET colleges.
Covers tuition and registration.
Pays allowances for accommodation or transport, living costs and learning materials, depending on your situation.

NSFAS eligibility requirements

South African citizen.
Combined household income of no more than R350 000 a year.
For students with a disability, household income of no more than R600 000 a year.
SASSA grant recipients automatically meet the financial requirement.

How to apply for NSFAS

Go to the myNSFAS portal on nsfas.org.za and create an account with your ID number, cellphone number and email.
Complete the application, choosing your intended institution type.
Upload any documents requested, such as IDs, proof of income or death certificates, and track your status on the portal.

Closing date

31 October 2026, for 2027 funding, according to NSFAS’s website (the Minister’s launch speech said 18 November 2026). Applications opened on 18 September 2026.

Contact details

NSFAS contact centre: 08000 67327
Website: nsfas.org.za

See our guides on checking your NSFAS status and the NSFAS appeal process, and the Funza Lushaka bursary for teaching students.

FAQs

1. When do NSFAS applications open for 2027? +

NSFAS applications for 2027 opened on 18 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026. Apply on myNSFAS or the official NSFAS app. Applying is free.

2. Who qualifies? +

South African citizens with a combined household income of no more than R350 000 a year, or R600 000 for students with a disability, studying or planning to study at a public university or TVET college. SASSA grant recipients automatically meet the financial test.

3. What does NSFAS cover? +

Tuition and registration at public institutions, plus allowances for accommodation or transport, living costs and learning materials, depending on your institution and where you live.

4. How do I apply? +

Online on the myNSFAS portal at nsfas.org.za. Create an account with your ID number, cellphone number and email, then complete the application and upload any documents requested.

5. What documents might I need? +

Your ID, and where relevant your parents' or guardian's IDs, proof of income, death certificates, a disability form, or a vulnerable child declaration.

6. Does NSFAS fund private colleges? +

No. NSFAS funds only approved programmes at public universities and public TVET colleges.

Two questions come up constantly, and the wording matters because it changes what you owe afterwards. We answer both plainly: is NSFAS a bursary or a loan, and what a DHET bursary actually means.

Update note (checked September 2026): NSFAS’s website says 2027 applications close on 31 October 2026; the Minister’s launch speech gave 18 November 2026, so apply by 31 October to be safe. Source: nsfas.org.za.

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Student funding in numbers

2025811 011students funded by NSFAS580 000 at universities, 231 000 at TVET colleges, on a budget of R48.7 billion.

20261 026 091students approved for NSFAS funding609 403 first-year applicants qualified and 416 688 continuing students met the progression criteria, out of 893 847 applications.

2027 projectedR53.4bnbudgeted for NSFASThe allocation rises from R48.7 billion in 2025 to R51 billion in 2026 and R53.4 billion in 2027. Student numbers for 2027 are not published yet.

Figures from the Minister of Higher Education’s Budget Vote of 3 July 2025 and the NSFAS statement of 2 January 2026. NSFAS is the largest funder, not the only one – we track the rest.