Prospective students who wish to study at a public university or TVET college in 2020 have exactly 10 days left before the closing of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) application cycle on 30 November 2019.
As part of the intensified application drive, NSFAS has rolled out a regional “town to town” outreach intervention programme - to reach out to prospective beneficiaries and students who have not submitted their applications.
NSFAS aims to utilise these programmes to leverage equal opportunities for access in, and success to, higher education and training, mainly telescoping disadvantaged communities, and provinces with a low number of applications received.
Over the next few days, NSFAS officers will continue to be deployed across all nine provinces with a focus on the Eastern Cape, Free State, North West, Northern Cape, and Western Cape - due to the low number of applications received in these provinces.
To date, the scheme has received 365 922 applications nationwide, with KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Limpopo provinces continuing to lead with the highest number of applications.
NSFAS Administrator, Dr Randall Carolissen, said that although the number of applicants living with disability increased significantly over the prior year to over a 1000, it remains disappointingly low.
Carolissen said that NSFAS has prioritised engagements with relevant government departments and agencies to improve applications in this regard.
Applicants who do not have access to computer facilities and smart phones, are urged to visit their nearest National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) offices, local libraries, Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), Thusong Centres, and Department of Basic Education (DBE) District Teacher Development Centres national wide, to apply for funding.
Outreach events for 2020 applications
Eastern Cape
20 November 2019 |
Port Elizabeth – Thembelihle High School |
20 November 2019 |
Uitenhage - Gamble Street Secondary School |
21 November 2019 |
Lady Frere – Nzimankulu High School |
22 November 2019 |
Lusikisiki – Ingwe TVET College, Ngqungqushe Campus |
25 November 2019 |
Mthata TBC |
30 November 2019 |
East London TBC |
Free State
23 November 2019 |
Thabo Mofutsanyana District, Qwaqwa |
23 November |
Fezile Dabi District |
24 – 30 November |
Lejweleputswa District, Welkom |
Gauteng
26 November 2019 |
Randfontein TBC |
28 November 2019 |
Reiger, Boksburg |
KwaZulu-Natal
23 November 2019 |
Ugu District |
Limpopo
23 November 2019 |
Opposite Rooiberg Community Hall, Thabazimbi |
29 November 2019 |
Masesha Primary School – in Bloodriver |
Mpumalanga
30 November 2019 |
Ehlanzeni TBC |
Northern Cape
27 November 2019 |
Namaqualand – SA van Wyk High School, Aggeney High School & Regefeld High School |
29 November 2019 |
Kuruman – Kuruman Primary School |
30 November 2019 |
Kimberley – Mayibuye Centre |
North West
20 November 2019 |
Taung |
21 November 2019 |
Mathe – Walter Letsie High School |
21 November 2019 |
Vryburg – Vryburg High School |
23 November 2019 |
Taung – Mokgareng High School |
Western Cape
23 November 2019 |
Dal Josaphat Athletics Stadium, Groenheuwel, Paarl |
29 November 2019 |
Beaufort West TBC |
30 November 2019 |
Lwazi Enrichment Program, Hartzenberg Street, Parkersdam, Worcester |
30 November 2019 |
George TBC |
30 November 2019 |
Delft TBC |
– SAnews.gov.za