How to Check Your NSFAS Status

If you’ve applied for NSFAS, you’re probably wondering: “Okay… what’s happening with my application?” Don’t stress — checking your status is super easy, and I’ll walk you through it.

Table of Contents

Quick Recap: What’s NSFAS?

NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) is a government program that helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds pay for their studies at public universities and TVET colleges. Basically, if you qualify, they cover things like tuition, accommodation, and allowances so you can actually focus on your studies.

What the Bursary Covers

Here’s what NSFAS usually pays for (so that you know what to expect):

University Students

Accommodation: The actual cost of your university residence (or private digs, as long as it’s not more than res fees).
Transport (up to 40km): R7,500 per year.
Living allowance: R15,000 per year.
Books: R5,200 per year.
Personal/incidental allowance: R2,900 (for those in catered res).

TVET College Students

Accommodation (urban): R24,000 per year.
Accommodation (peri-urban): R18,900 per year.
Accommodation (rural): R15,750 per year.
Transport (up to 40km): R7,350 per year.
Other transport: R7,000 per year.
Personal/incidental allowance: R2,900 per year.

So, How Do You Actually Check Your NSFAS Status?

It’s pretty straightforward:

Go to the NSFAS website → www.nsfas.org.za
Log in to your myNSFAS account → myNSFAS or https://my.nsfas.org.za/
- Use your username + password.
- If you haven’t registered yet, you’ll need to sign up first.
Find “Application Status” on your dashboard.
Check what it says.

What the Statuses Mean (in plain English)

Application in Progress → They’re still busy reviewing your stuff.
Provisionally Funded → Yay! You’ve been approved, but there might be a few more steps before it’s official.
Approved → Congrats, your funding is confirmed.
Unsuccessful → Unfortunately, you didn’t qualify this time (they’ll usually give a reason).

A Few Extra Tips

The site can get super busy during application season. Be patient if it loads slowly.
Always keep copies of your documents and any reference numbers — trust me, it saves headaches later.
If something looks off, don’t sit in silence. Contact NSFAS via their helpline or through their contact page.

Final Reminder

Don’t forget: you must apply before the closing date each year. To apply or check deadlines, visit www.nsfas.org.za.

If you qualify — South African citizen, financially disadvantaged, and academically deserving — then NSFAS could be your ticket to studying without stressing over fees.

Bottom line: Log in to your myNSFAS account, check your status regularly, and stay on top of any document requests. Staying proactive makes the whole process way smoother.