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).
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.