NSFAS Confirms Changes To Requirements & Allowances For 2023

Financial Aid Criteria and Conditions for 2023 have been revised by the NSFAS. Providing bursary recipients with adequate funds for academic purposes will be made possible by these amendments. 

NSFAS Confirms Changes To Requirements & Allowances For 2023

Students will have enough funds for academic purposes thanks to two major changes to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) eligibility criteria and conditions for financial aid in 2023.

DHET funds the NSFAS, which is an aid scheme for South African students. Student unable to afford tertiary education themselves are provided with NSFAS bursaries. As a result of the recent accommodation price cap, the scheme has been scrutinized. 

Some students have been forced to sleep on campus floors due to a lack of affordable housing, which has led to weeks of protests at a number of public universities. It should be noted that there has been no change to this accommodation price cap, but adjustments have been made to the pass rate requirements and living allowances have been increased. 

NSFAS Board Chairperson Ernest Khosa’s recommendations have been considered by Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education.

The amendments agreed upon include:

• For the 2023 academic year, university students are required to pass with a 50% passing rate.
• In addition to the increase in living allowances, a personal care allowance of R3 045 will be added to the allowances, making them R16 500 (including personal care at R3 045).

This is an important milestone in ensuring that bursary students have adequate finance for academic purposes, according to a statement released on Twitter by NSFAS.This allowance increase must be accommodated within the existing NSFAS allocation for NSFAS to be successful.