National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) released information about the allowances for the 2023 academic year. These allowances play a crucial role in supporting students pursuing higher education and alleviating financial burdens. Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister, Dr. Blade Nzimande, made this announcement during a media briefing in Pretoria, highlighting the key changes in allowances for NSFAS-funded students.
Upfront Registration Fee Relief
Minister Nzimande has emphasized that all higher learning institutions are urged to enable NSFAS-funded students to register without paying an upfront registration fee. This temporary measure aims to ease the financial burden on students while the scheme finalizes the upfront payment schedule.
Allowance Updates
Here are the important updates regarding allowances for 2023:
University Students:
- Learning Material Allowance: Students at universities that provide accommodation and catering will receive a learning material allowance of R5,460.
- Accommodation Allowance: The accommodation allowance for these students is capped at R61,500.
- Self-Catering Students: Those in university-managed, self-catering institutions will receive a learning materials allowance of R5,460.
- Living Allowance: University students will benefit from a living allowance increment of R1,650 per month. This represents a 10% increase compared to the 2022 figure.
Students Living with Relatives:
- Learning Material Allowance: Students living with relatives, but not in private accommodation, will receive a learning materials allowance of R5,460.
- Living Allowance: They will also receive an R16,500 per annum living allowance.
- Accommodation Allowance: The accommodation allowance is capped at R45,000 for these students.
TVET College Students:
- Own-Catered Residences: TVET colleges that are own-catered will receive an accommodation allowance to the value of R54,045 per annum.
- Self-Catered Accommodation: College-managed own and leased self-catered accommodation students will, for the first time, receive a living allowance of R6,000, a personal care allowance of R3,045, and a maximum of R45,000 plus a living allowance paid to the TVET college.
- Private Accommodation: TVET students in private accommodation will receive a R6,000 living allowance, an R3,045 personal care allowance, and an R45,000 per annum accommodation allowance.
- Students Residing Near College: TVET students residing less than 10km from the college will receive a R6,000 living allowance, an R3,045 personal care allowance, and a R7,718 travel allowance.
These allowance updates are in line with the 2023 NSFAS eligibility criteria and conditions for financial aid, which were previously published and shared with institutions. They are designed to provide substantial financial support to South African students pursuing higher education.
These changes in allowances represent a positive step in ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder deserving students from accessing higher education. As the 2023 academic year commences, NSFAS continues to support students in their pursuit of knowledge and a brighter future.