{"id":982,"date":"2024-07-23T21:11:36","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T21:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/?page_id=982"},"modified":"2026-09-17T09:32:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T09:32:53","slug":"how-many-students-does-nsfas-fund","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/how-many-students-does-nsfas-fund\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Students Does NSFAS Fund?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the 2026 academic year, NSFAS received a record 893,847 applications and, by March 2026, had approved 692,704 first-time students and 550,959 continuing students. National Treasury&#8217;s 2026 Budget Review says NSFAS will spend R54.3 billion in 2026\/27 on bursaries for 744,203 students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2026 cycle in numbers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Measure<\/th><th>Figure<\/th><th>Source date<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Applications (window 16 September to 15 November 2025)<\/td><td>893,847<\/td><td>January 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>First-time applicants<\/td><td>766,232<\/td><td>January 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>SASSA beneficiaries among applicants<\/td><td>520,545<\/td><td>January 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>First-time students approved<\/td><td>692,704<\/td><td>March 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Continuing students approved<\/td><td>550,959<\/td><td>March 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Loan applications<\/td><td>26,538 (1,561 approved by February)<\/td><td>February 2026<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">TVET students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>210,989 continuing TVET students were assessed and 127,503 met the progression rules (February 2026).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NSFAS paid allowances to 138,115 TVET students on 27 February 2026 and to 203,653 on 17 April 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Figures change during the year as registrations and appeals are processed. Numbers such as &#8220;1.9 million applications&#8221; for 2026 are not official.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/how-does-nsfas-assist-students\/\">how NSFAS assists students<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/nsfas-january-application-closing-date\/\">NSFAS application dates<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1790500000982\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">How many students applied for NSFAS for 2026?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>893,847, according to NSFAS.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1790500000983\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">How much does NSFAS spend?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>National Treasury says R54.3 billion in 2026\/27 on bursaries for 744,203 students.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the 2026 academic year, NSFAS received a record 893,847 applications and, by March 2026, had approved 692,704 first-time students 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