R15.2 billion for 2018 National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding

R15.2 billion for 2018 National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding

 
Higher Education and Training Minister, Blade Nzimande has announced that an amount of R15.2 billion will be provided to National Student Financial Aid Scheme for student bursaries and loans in 2018. From that allocation, National Student Financial Aid Scheme will utilize R718 million for full bursaries for scarce and critical skills from the National Skills Fund. R76.6 million will be provided for funding of students with disabilities.

“We have also gone further and made arrangements through National Student Financial Aid Scheme to pay the registration fees for all National Student Financial Aid Scheme funded students as an upfront payment to universities and TVET colleges in January each year. Therefore, National Student Financial Aid Scheme qualifying students will not pay any registration or upfront fees in 2018,” the Minister added.

Meanwhile, National Student Financial Aid Scheme Executive Officer Msulwa Daca, said National Student Financial Aid Scheme has already started to provide lists of funded students to some of the institutions in batches to assist the registration process. “This is because some students are still continuing to apply to institutions”. Some institutions will receive student lists after the closing of applications.