Can I Apply For NSFAS Bursary Without A Matric Certificate?

Yes. You do not need a printed matric certificate to apply for NSFAS. Grade 12 learners apply while they are still at school, before results are released, and NSFAS confirms academic eligibility later through your registration at a university or TVET college.

Common situations

Your situation	What to do
You are in Grade 12 now	Apply during the NSFAS window. Your final results are checked when you register at an institution
You passed matric but have not collected the certificate	Apply to NSFAS and use your statement of results to apply to institutions
Your certificate is lost or damaged	Apply to NSFAS as normal, and request a replacement or statement of results from the Department of Basic Education
You did not pass matric	Apply to a public TVET college programme that accepts Grade 9 to 11, such as the NC(V)

What NSFAS does ask for

• Your ID number, and ID copies for your parents, guardian or spouse where applicable.
• Proof of income, if NSFAS cannot verify it.
• The signed consent form.
• Other declarations or annexures if your situation requires them, for example a disability annexure.

Documents no longer need to be certified for NSFAS, and NSFAS does not accept affidavits or a driver’s licence as proof of identity.

Where matric results still matter

Your institution, not NSFAS, decides whether your results meet its entry requirements. NSFAS can only fund you once you are registered. Read how to upload NSFAS documents and NSFAS without matric.

Frequently asked questions