NSFAS update on university student fees, registration and accommodation

NSFAS

Cape Town — The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) briefed the media and gave an update on the state of affairs in the higher education sector including registration, accommodation and student allowance.

NSFAS acting board chairperson, Lourens Van Staden, held his first media briefing since taking over from Ernest Khosa, who took a leave of absence amid corruption allegations. At the end of the 2023 academic year, the embattled funding aid scheme came under fire for failing to pay student allowances timeously, EWN reported.

So far, it has been a calm registration process at tertiary institutions, as there have been far less funding-related protests as compared to previous years. NSAFS gave universities and colleges more than R3 billion to cover the cost of registration and allowances for the first month of the academic year, to ensure students meet their registration deadlines.

Van Staden confirmed the final registration dates at some of the universities throughout the country, with 1.2 million students also provisionally funded, with a further 45 000 registrations received. NSFAS said it is also processing student applications for students that require formal documentation.

NSFAS’ new student accommodation pilot project that will look to provide more accommodation ahead of the 2024 academic year.

NSFAS also said it is still working to pay outstanding student payments, and it will focus on a recovery of student funds to ensure all outstanding debts are settled.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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