Hope and excitement flood young South African’s faces after securing Nsfas funding. It is not a mere opportunity but freedom from the stress of wondering about finances. In 2022, Nsfas funded more than six hundred thousand students. Most funds went to the country’s largest university, the University of South Africa. It enrolls 400,000 students, and this government scheme funds almost 40%.
How Much Will Unisa Students Get from Nfsas in 2023
It is not easy to understand Unisa’s total allocation of student funds because not all campuses have student accommodations or hostels. Additionally, some receive travel allowance instead of rent, and not all students qualify for personal care allowance; This causes variance in what each student earns.
Students receive a book allowance of R5200 from the start of the academic calendar and laptops in their first year of study. A living allowance of 15000 and an incidental or personal care allowance of R2900. Divided into a cycle of 10 months from February to November. Personal care is only received by students who are at least registered for ten modules or more.
Those who live less than 40 km from the campus earn a transport allowance of R7,500, distributed on the same cycles. Students receive incidental assistance through intellimali. This money comes as a voucher, which can be used or withdrawn from retailers like Shoprites and pick n pay, which becomes available on the 1st of every cycle month. The rest of the allowances are paid to their bank accounts.
How Much do Nfsas pay At Unisa?
The grant pays for registration and tuition. Funding is allocated according to the number of modules the student registers per year. The first four modules cost R600 each. But from the fifth module and more, the costs increase to R5200 for all registered modules.
Does Unisa get Accommodation Allowance from Nfsas?
Unisa is a distance university that operates through Open and Distance Learning (OPD)—allowing students to further their studies through online resources and the study material. Yet not all qualifications can fit the OPL system. Some students need to attend workshops and tutorials far from their homes. This is not easy for those more than 40 km from Unisa. So, Nfsas offers a price cap of R34 400 accommodation allowance. The lease agreement confirms how much students need for rental.
Does Nfsas Give Unisa Students Monthly Allowance?
All allowances are monthly, and all students receive a living allowance of R1500. Other than that, there are some differences. The travel or transport cost is R750. If the students register for ten modules or more, they get an extra R290 of incidental allowance. For rental, the funds are in relation to the amount stipulated in the lease agreement.
List of Courses Funded by Nfsas in 2023
All undergraduate courses do get funding from the government scheme. Except for postgraduate studies, this applies to all universities in South Africa. The grant funds students from the lower to middle class with a household income of less than 350,000 annually. The majority of these recipients are black South Africans.
