More than 600,000 students have been approved for funding by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for the 2026 academic year, following the completion of all funding application assessments before the end of December 2025.
The early processing of applications allows qualifying students to plan ahead for the academic year, with funding outcomes now available on the NSFAS portal.
“NSFAS is pleased to confirm that all 2026 funding applications were processed prior to the start of the academic year, in line with our commitment,” said NSFAS.
Some first-time entering students may still see their applications listed as incomplete. NSFAS explained that this mainly applies to applicants who still need to submit outstanding documentation or are awaiting confirmation of acceptance from a higher education institution, which will only be available once matric results are released.
“Applications classified as incomplete relate to missing documentation, primarily parental consent forms required to verify household income,” said NSFAS.
Applicants have 30 days from the date of notification to submit the required documents, failing which applications will be unsuccessful.
NSFAS also confirmed that continuing university students who met academic progression requirements have been approved for continued funding, while rejected applicants have the option to appeal within the prescribed 30-day period, provided all supporting documents are submitted.
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