Checked 10 November 2026

NSFAS application 2027: closed on 31 October

Applications for 2027 funding closed at 23:59 on 31 October 2026 and were not extended. If you applied, NSFAS says your next step is to track your status on myNSFAS and answer any request for documents within 30 working days.

Track your application on myNSFAS ↗ Results and appeals timetable

Applications closed on 31 October 2026, not 18 November

The minister’s launch speech mentioned 18 November, but NSFAS closed applications at 23:59 on 31 October 2026, as its website and board had said it would, and did not extend the date. As of 10 November 2026 NSFAS had not announced a late-application window or the dates of its next application cycle.

Missed it? See bursaries that are still open

What to do now that you have applied

  • Track your application: sign in to myNSFAS at any time to see where your application is and whether anything is needed from you.
  • Missing documents: if NSFAS asks for more information, you have 30 working days to upload it.
  • Results: NSFAS has not published an exact results date. At the launch on 18 September its board planned to finish funding decisions by 30 November 2026 and audit them from 1 to 9 December, and the minister said successful applicants would be told in December. NSFAS had not re-confirmed those dates as of 10 November 2026.
  • Appeals: only a “Rejected” status can be appealed. NSFAS’s appeals page gives first-time entering students 15 days, and senior and continuing students 30 days, from the day they receive their result. The board’s launch timetable put the appeal window at 10 to 24 December 2026, with appeal outcomes by 9 January 2027.
  • Registration: “Funding Eligible” is a pre-approval. NSFAS says funding is not final until it receives a valid registration from your public university or TVET college.
How to check your NSFAS status NSFAS’s appeal rules ↗

How the myNSFAS application works

The 2027 cycle is closed, so you cannot start a new application now. These steps are kept for reference: they show what a complete application includes and what NSFAS may still ask you to fix.

  1. 1

    Open myNSFAS

    Go to my.nsfas.org.za or open the official NSFAS app (links on www.nsfas.org.za). The application can be completed on a phone.

  2. 2

    Create or sign in to your profile

    New applicants register with their own ID number, cellphone number and email address; a one-time PIN activates the profile. Already registered? Sign in with your ID number and password. Do not create a second account.

  3. 3

    Select Apply and complete your details

    Enter your personal details exactly as on your ID, your institution of choice and your household income. There are options for a deceased or unknown parent.

  4. 4

    Give consent

    Print the 2027 consent form, complete it in capital letters and black ink, and get every required person to sign it by hand.

  5. 5

    Upload your documents

    myNSFAS lists the documents your application needs. Upload clear PDF or JPEG files of up to 20 MB each, with every corner visible.

  6. 6

    Review and submit

    Check every section, accept the declaration and press Submit. A saved draft is not assessed.

  7. 7

    Save your reference number

    NSFAS gives you an application reference number when you submit. Keep it for tracking and for any query.

Read NSFAS’s official 2027 application guide ↗

Documents and forms for 2027

New applications are closed, but NSFAS may still ask you for a missing or unreadable document. If it does, these are the 2027 requirements and forms to use.

Everyone

  • Your South African ID (both sides of a smart ID card), or an unabridged birth certificate if you are under 18
  • The signed 2027 consent form. NSFAS says applications without an accurate, signed consent form are closed and marked rejected.

Only if it applies to you

  • Proof of income for working parents, a guardian or spouse: payslips for the last three months, a UIF statement, or an affidavit for informal income
  • Nothing for income if your household gets a Child Support, Foster Child or Care Dependency grant, as NSFAS verifies it with SASSA
  • Death certificate for a deceased parent or guardian; divorce decree; marriage certificate and spouse’s ID; or court proof of legal guardianship
  • ID copies of parents or a guardian if the portal asks for them

Official 2027 forms

Form rules printed by NSFAS: capital letters, black ink, handwritten signatures only (no electronic signatures) and no correction fluid. Use the 2027 versions; last year’s forms are a common reason documents are sent back.

Who qualifies for NSFAS 2027

NSFAS has not published separate 2027 funding guidelines; its website still links the 2026 guidelines. Its FAQ (checked 10 November 2026) and the 2026 guidelines (last read 12 October 2026) use these rules:

Bursary

  • South African citizen or permanent resident
  • Studying, or planning to study, an approved qualification at a public university or TVET college
  • Combined gross household income of R350,000 or less a year
  • R600,000 or less for an applicant with a disability
  • Verified SASSA Child Support, Foster Care or Care Dependency grant recipients meet the financial test automatically; the SRD grant does not count

Missing-middle loan

  • Undergraduate: household income between R350,000 and R600,000 a year
  • Postgraduate university study: household income of R600,000 or less
  • Must be repaid under the loan agreement
  • Covers tuition and registration, learning materials and accommodation where applicable, but not living, personal-care or transport allowances

Who had to apply in this cycle

  • First-time applicants, including Grade 12 learners who were still writing exams
  • Senior students who were not NSFAS-funded in their last academic term
  • Students moving between a TVET college and a university
  • Continuing NSFAS-funded students generally do not reapply

Common exclusions

  • Study at a private college or university
  • A qualification NSFAS does not fund
  • Applicants who are neither citizens nor permanent residents
  • Other funding: NSFAS adjusts its funding, and you must tell NSFAS and your institution within 10 days
NSFAS FAQ: income limits and loans ↗ NSFAS 2026 bursary guidelines (PDF) ↗

Protect your application

  • • NSFAS applications are free.
  • • Never share your password or one-time PIN.
  • • Start at nsfas.org.za or my.nsfas.org.za, not a link from a message.
  • • Report fraud to [email protected].
Visit the official NSFAS site ↗

NSFAS application FAQs

Can I still apply for NSFAS for 2027?
No. The 2027 application cycle opened on 18 September 2026 and closed at 23:59 South African time on 31 October 2026. NSFAS did not extend it and, as of 10 November 2026, had not announced a late-application window.
I missed the NSFAS 2027 deadline. What can I do?
As of 10 November 2026 NSFAS had not announced a late-application window or the dates of its next application cycle, so watch www.nsfas.org.za for a notice. In the meantime, look at other bursaries that are still open and ask your institution’s financial-aid office about other funding.
Do I need to apply again if I already get NSFAS?
Usually not. Under NSFAS’s 2026 guidelines, continuing students who were funded in the previous academic term do not reapply each year. You must apply if you are new to NSFAS, a senior student who was not NSFAS-funded in your last academic term, or moving between a TVET college and a university.
Where do I apply for NSFAS?
When an application cycle is open, you apply on myNSFAS at my.nsfas.org.za or in the official NSFAS app linked from www.nsfas.org.za. The 2027 cycle is closed, so for now myNSFAS is where you track your application and upload any documents NSFAS asks for. Applying is free. Do not pay an agent, share your password or one-time PIN, or enter your details on an unofficial form.
What is the NSFAS household-income limit for 2027?
For a bursary, combined gross household income must be R350,000 or less a year, or R600,000 or less for an applicant with a disability. Verified SASSA grant recipients automatically meet the financial requirement. Undergraduate applicants from households earning between R350,000 and R600,000 fall into the missing-middle loan range.
Does the SRD grant count as a SASSA grant for NSFAS?
No. NSFAS’s 2026 guidelines count the Child Support, Foster Care and Care Dependency grants received in the previous three years, and exclude the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.
Can a permanent resident apply for NSFAS?
Yes. NSFAS’s FAQ says South African citizens and permanent residents who plan to study, or are already studying, at a public university or TVET college can apply, provided they meet the other requirements.
What happens after I submit my NSFAS application?
You get a reference number and can sign in to myNSFAS at any time to see where your application is. If NSFAS asks for more documents, you have 30 working days to upload them. NSFAS has not published an exact date for 2027 results. Its board’s launch timetable planned funding decisions by 30 November 2026 and outcomes in December, and NSFAS had not re-confirmed those dates as of 10 November 2026.