Does NSFAS Fund part-time students?

National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) provides financial benefits and assistance to deserving and unprivileged students pursuing studies at NSFAS-funded public colleges and universities. NSFAS does not fund all colleges; instead, they fund only 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges throughout South Africa.

Furthermore, they only fund selected courses. In this article, I will discuss which courses NSFAS funds and whether they fund part-time students or not. So keep reading to update yourself regarding NSFAS criteria.

Does NSFAS Fund Part-Time Students?

If you are a part-time student in any college or university, you do not qualify for NSFAS funds and hence won’t be able to receive their support. However, they fund full-time students and students doing part-time jobs (But their total income should not exceed the limit set by NSFAS ).

Which Courses NSFAS Does Not Fund?

NSFAS does not fund the following courses; hence if you are studying any of the following courses, you won’t be able to receive support from NSFAS:

Part-time courses.
Short courses.
Courses or programs provided by private institutions.
Postgraduate studies (including postgraduate certificates, diplomas, honors degrees, Ph.D. and master’s degrees).
And a student who is pursuing a second degree/ qualification.

Moreover, NSFAS does not provide funds to private universities and colleges according to their guidelines and rules. Therefore, if you are a part-time student or studying in a private institution, you can look for other bursary programs.

Which Courses Does NSFAS Fund?

NSFAS funds full-time students and students pursuing undergraduate degrees in public universities supported by the NSFAS organization. The NSFAS also funds the following courses:

First Undergraduate degrees or diplomas.
Fulltime and online programs.
NSFAS also funds long-distance courses as long as they are full-time students studying at public colleges or universities.
Programs and courses offered by public universities and TVET colleges.
Most Undergraduate programs include (Hospitality, Human Resources, Marketing, Social Sciences, Public Relations, Public Administration, Education, Psychology, and more).

READ Is NSFAS a Bursary or Loan? Do You have to Pay NSFAS back?

Other Financial Sources For Part-Time Students

Since NSFAS does not fund part-time students, they can apply for the following programs to complete their studies:

SAAFoST Part-Time Bursary

The South African Association of Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST) offers three types of bursaries to part-time students interested in food and technology. They provide Undergraduate, Matriculant, and part-time bursaries, offered to students based on their academic achievements.

Moreover, to be accepted for this part-time bursary, they must meet the eligibility criteria set by the organization.

IMAS Bursary Program

The Institute of Management Accounting and Strategy (IMAS) offer fund for both full-time and part-time students. The bursary program will cover the tuition fees of part-time students as long as they meet the organization’s criteria. The students in Grade 12 must achieve an average of 70%, and their monthly income must not surpass R16,000.

Concluding Lines

To summarize, NSFAS does not support part-time students, short-time courses, and students studying at private universities or colleges. Therefore, the students must find alternative means of financial sources that will fund their studies.

However, NSFAS does fund full-time students, courses, first undergraduate programs, and students studying at public universities or colleges. Furthermore, the eligibility requirements for the programs may differ; therefore, stay updated regarding any information related to NSFAS.