When you apply for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding, you should provide certain documentation. The documents you provide are verified to prevent fraud, and this can affect the outcome of your application. This article explains what DHS failed verification means.
What Does “DHA Verification Failed” Mean?
When you receive the ‘DHA Verification Failed’ message from NSFAS, it means that some anomalies have been found in your application during the verification process. This is mainly caused by a missing name, especially when the applicant has more than one name. If you have two names and provide only one, your application will not pass the verification test.
Verifying NSFAS application is one of the longest stages of confirming your bursary eligibility. However, this is not NSFAS’s fault and does not necessarily mean your account has a problem.
NSFAS relies on information obtained from third-party institutions like the Department of Home Affairs and the government to verify identity documents. It also checks if the applicant is a recipient of SASSA grant or gets other details which verify your income. Therefore, the validation process takes longer, and it is common for verification to fail.
Applicants have no control over NSFAS verification process of their details. However, you can make the process seamless by double-checking your application before submitting it. Ensure all the details you submit are correct and provide clear documents that have not been altered.
How Do I Check My DHA Report?
Once you submit your NSFAS application online, you can only expect it to be accepted or rejected. You have no control over the verification process, but you can check the status of your application by following the steps below.
- Log in to your myNSFAS account by entering your username and password.
- Press enter to sign in
- When you open your student portal, click on the tab “Track Funding Progress.”
You will be directed to a section with details about the status of your application. In case of rejection, you must read the reasons provided. You can also check your report by visiting your local NSFAS office, where you can get assistance from the officials.
How Long Does DHA Process Take?
NSFAS does not provide a timeline for how long the validation process will take. If they want to verify certain documents, your application remains in a validation state until all third-party entities validate your documents.
Government departments like SASSA and the Department of Home Affairs usually take longer to verify documents due to backlogs caused by queries. The waiting period for verification of your documents can be frustrating. However, you cannot control the situation, so you must be patient.
To avoid such inconveniences, it is a good idea to submit your NSFAS application early. Your documents can be processed quickly when they are ahead of others. More importantly, make sure all details are accurate. If you are unsure how to complete your application, seek assistance from a professional at your nearest NSFAS office.
What Is a “DHA Error” NSFAS Status Means?
When you receive the “DHA Error” message after submitting your NSFAS application, this means that your details are not available in the Home Affairs database. The Department of Home Affairs has all the details of registered citizens. Therefore, to prove that the applicant is a South African, NSFAS relies on information it gets from the Department of Home Affairs.
The DHA error message can also be caused by incorrect information provided by the applicant to NSFAS. For example, if there is a missing number or initial on the documents you provide, your application will fail the verification test.
Unfortunately, you cannot appeal this status. The only thing you can do is contact the Department of Home Affairs so they rectify the issue. When the issue has been corrected, you can only apply for NSFAS during the next application cycle. Be sure to avoid the previous mistake because you can still get the same rejection.
How Do You Know if NSFAS Rejected?
If your NSFAS application is rejected, you will get official communication from NASFAS, or you can check your status online. Alternatively, you can visit the nearest NSFAS office to inquire about your application. You can also ask the reasons for the rejection of your application if you do not succeed.
If you fail to meet certain requirements, NSFAS will reject your application just like other applications for financial aid. You will get the “Rejected/Unsuccessful” application status in your portal. However, this alone is not enough since you should know why it has been declined. The following are some of the reasons that can help you know why NSFAS rejected your application.
- “DHA Error”- you will receive this message when NSFAS finds no information about yourself in the DHA database. This can be caused by incorrect or unclear details you provided in your application. Ensure you do not alter any information on any of the documents requested by NSFAS.
- “Application Deceased”- if the applicant uses details of a deceased person, the Department of Home Affairs can detect this, which leads to the rejection of the application. Other unscrupulous applicants may try their luck by using fake IDs, and this is why verification comes in handy.
- If you submit your application after the closing date with missing documents, it will be automatically rejected. Check the opening and closing dates for NSFAS applications to increase your chances of getting the funding you need.
NSFAS follows strict guidelines to screen all the applicants to ensure that only the needy students get funding. Your NSFA application can be rejected as a result of providing incorrect information. If you get the DHA Verification Failed status, it means that some mismatches were found in the documents you provided. Therefore, your application cannot be approved, and you cannot appeal the decision.
