Efforts to increase NSFAS applications in some provinces

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has engaged various provincial governments where a low number of applications have been received for 2020, Northglen News reports.

“NSFAS will deploy agents to the various provinces beginning with the Free State and Western Cape provinces to assist communities in these areas to apply for funding, this will be done through community outreach programmes,” NSFAS administrator Dr Randall Carolissen said.

On Sunday, NSFAS announced that it had received 50 000 more applications when compared to the same period last year.

Despite the increase in applications, NSFAS noted that KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Limpopo remain as the provinces with the most applications received while the Western and Northern Cape provinces are lagging.

“NSFAS reached the 216 758 applications mark only six weeks after the opening. However, closer analysis shows that out of the 216 758 applications received since the opening of the 2020 application cycle on September 01, 2019, only 10 per cent of the applicants chose TVET colleges as their preferred institution of study.

“This shows that as a country we have not yet positioned TVET education and the associated criticality of skills developments as an imperative choice for our national development ideals,” NSFAS said.

Applications are open for Grade 9 to 12 learners and out of school youth who wish to further their studies with the support of the government bursary scheme for the 2020 academic year.

Applications statistics released by NSFAS indicate that the majority of applicants are out of school youth who intend to further their studies at public universities.

“NSFAS considers each application that we receive. When processing an application, we validate the information with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and Department of Social Development (DSD) thereby getting a complete profile of an applicant and family,” Carolissen said.

NSFAS said meeting academic requirements for tertiary studies is important as students only become funded once registered at a public institution of higher learning for an approved qualification.