By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) received 51,474 funding applications in the first four days of its 2027 application cycle.
It said on Tuesday that its latest application dashboard recorded a student headcount of 49,413 applicants for the 2027 academic year.
Of the applications received, 43,297 were from first-time entering students and prospective applicants, 6,865 from Further Education and Training applicants and 1,312 from senior applicants seeking funding.
A further 12,625 applicants indicated that they were beneficiaries of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), while 52 applications were received from students living with disabilities.
Women accounted for almost three-quarters of applications, with NSFAS recording 38,121 applications from female applicants, or 74.06%, compared with 13,353 from male applicants, or 25.94%.
Most applications were submitted by people aged between 18 and 29.
“The early application figures demonstrate the continued importance of NSFAS in enabling access to higher education and training for deserving South African students and reflect growing awareness of the opportunities available through government-funded student financial aid,” the scheme said.
The application period closes on 31 October.
“Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible and not wait until the closing stages of the application period. Applicants are also urged to ensure that all required supporting documents are submitted correctly and that consent forms are completed where required to facilitate verification processes,” NSFAS said.
Applications can be submitted through the NSFAS website or its mobile application available on Android and Apple devices.
