NSFAS is one of the most potent tools that South Africa possesses in its arsenal of socio-economic reforms aimed at addressing the country’s many economic challenges.
The Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (108 of 1996) states in section 29 (1) (a) that:
“Everyone has the right…to a basic education, including adult basic education, and to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible.”
NSFAS was set up as a method of ensuring that these basic human rights are met within the scope of the capabilities of the country’s finances.
Ever since NSFAS took the reigns from TEFSA by incorporating it as part of their system to reach a broader, more diverse audience, one of the greater challenges the bursary scheme has faced has been where to register for students.
This is what today’s article seeks to solve by giving prospective students a full list of all of NSFAS’s offices and application centres.
List of NSFAS Offices, Application Centers, Province, District, and Centre Type
For NSFAS to reach its full potential and realise its national goals, the department of Higher Education has established offices for the bursary fund in most of South Africa’s metropolitan centres.
This is intended to increase access to the bursary fund and its resources, especially for first-time students unfamiliar with its registration process on a personal level.
Alongside offices dedicated in their entirety to NSFAS, the NYDA can also be used as a substitute NSFAS office in the event that NSFAS office is absent in your place of residence.
- Province: Eastern Cape, District: East London, Centre Name: Dr. W.B. Rubusana Building, Centre Type: District Teacher Development Centres, Address: Mazaule Road, NU 1, Mdantsane.
- Province: Free State, District: Kopanong, Xharlep, Centre Name: Kopanong, Centre Type: Thusong Centre, Address: 398 Booysen Street, Madikgetta, Trompsburg, Free State.
- Province: Gauteng, District: City of Johannesburg, City of Johannesburg, Centre Name: Orange Farm, Centre Type: Thusong Centre, Address: 1547 Orange Farm, Extension 4 (Next to SAPS), Gauteng.
- Province: KwaZulu Natal, District: Ethekwini Municipality, Umnini, Centre Name: Umnini, Centre Type: Thusong Centre, Address: R102 Umgababa, 4126, KwaZulu Natal.
- Province: Limpopo, District: Blouberg, Capricorn, Centre Name: Eldorado, Centre Type: Thusong Centre, Address: Eldorado Village, Raditshaba, Limpopo.
- Province: Mpumalanga, District: Albert Luthuli, Gert Sibande, Centre Name: Mpuluzi, Centre Type: Thusong Centre, Address: E 1340, Fernie B, Fernie, Mpumulanga.
- Province: North West, District: Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Centre Name: Mokatsane EDSC, Centre Type: District Teacher Development Centres, Address: 4547 Mokgobo street, Ikageng, Potchefstroom.
- Province: Northern Cape, District: Joe Morolong, JT Gaetsewe, Centre Name: Kgomotsego, Centre Type: Thusong Centre, Address: 33 Short Street, Vanzylsrus, Northern Cape.
- Province: Western Cape, District: Mossel Bay, Centre Name: Mossel Bay, Centre Type: Thusong Centre, Address: Mossel Bay, Alsa Park, Western Cape.
How Do I Contact NSFAS Offices?
Due to how entrenched NSFAS is within South Africa’s higher education system and South Africa’s socio-economic situation on a broader scale.
Contacting the bursary scheme can be vital to prospective students hoping to pursue an academic career outside the conventional schooling system.
NSFAS’s head offices have their physical locations at The Halyard, 4 Christiaan Barnard Street, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8001.
Or alternatively, they can be reached via telephone at: 0800 006 7327 or via email at: info@nsfas.org.za.
Where Can I Apply For NSFAS?
For many of South Africa’s newly minted matriculants, NSFAS is the only way that they will be able to further their careers at a tertiary institution.
According to a report from 2018-2019, 25% of all university students enrolled during that year did so under the auspices of NSFAS bursary.
To ensure that you are enrolled for tertiary education with funding from NSFAS, you can apply for a bursary via the following channels:
Using a device with access to the internet, log onto NSFAS’s official website at www.nsfas.org.za and click on the register option on their home screen.
This will then present you with a number of required fields requiring you to submit your ID number, cellphone number, and email address, alongside other important details.
Once all the required fields and documents have been uploaded and completed, you should click on the “Next” option at the bottom of your screen.
This will give prospective students the option to confirm whether the details they wish to confirm are correct, upon which they should click on the “Submit” option.
This will forward their application to NSFAS for funding consideration should they meet all the eligibility criteria.
Does NSFAS allow walk-ins?
After South Africa adjusted its COVID-19 precautions in accordance with the country’s economic and social needs, it was business as usual for NSFAS.
The National State of disaster, which was lifted on the 5th of April 2022, allowed students to once again visit NSFAS’s physical premises for assistance with funding-related queries.
All NSFAS walk-in centres, such as the newly opened location at 3 Christiaan Bernard, Cape Town City Centre, allow for entry by students.
Alternatively, students can frequent any NYDA office should they seek assistance with bursary funding in case online funding is unavailable.
Are NSFAS Offices Open?
As of the 5th of April 2022, all NSFAS offices and their partner venues at the NYDA are open for business as mandated by the Department of Higher Education.
All offices are open, even during the festive season, unless stated otherwise by department officials.
NSFAS offices did close for the festive season between 15 December 2021 and 4 January 2022.
But this was most likely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s no indication that there will be similar closures for this year’s festive season.
How Can I Contact NSFAS Fast?
In the case that you need to contact NSFAS within a short space of time as a matter of urgency, a number of methods are available to you.
You can call the NSFAS call centre at 021 763 3200, send an email to info@nsfas.org.za or contact them via SMS at 32261 with your name, contact number, email address, and postal address.
At What Time is The NSFAS Call Centre Open?
The NSFAS call centres are available through a toll-free number at 08000 67327 for all students studying under its bursary scheme and other interested parties.
The call centres are open on weekdays from Monday to Friday, with operating hours starting from 8:00 am until 20:00 pm.
Operating hours were extended from 16:00 pm to 20:00 pm, by executive orders from the Department of Higher Education in order to accommodate the ever-growing number of students seeking funding.
