Can SASSA Grant Recipients Qualify for NSFAS Funding?

Determining whether South African students receiving SASSA grants can qualify for NSFAS funding hinges on the specific type of SASSA grant they presently receive. Both the government grant and study grant programs entail certain criteria that need to be met.

Overview of NSFAS

NSFAS stands for The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), a pivotal South African governmental initiative, offering financial aid to disadvantaged youths for pursuing tertiary education at public universities and TVET colleges.

 It disburses bursaries and loans to students meeting the financial criteria, with the 2025 budget amounting to R47.6 billion.

Available SASSA Social Grants

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) manages various social grant programs catering to vulnerable groups, such as:

  • Child Support Grant – Monthly grant for eligible children up to age 18
  • Care Dependency Grant – For children with disabilities needing full time care
  • Disability Grant – For adults with disabilities unable to work
  • Grant-in-Aid – Extra grant for care assistance
  • Foster Child Grant – For children legally placed in foster care
  • Older Person’s Grant – For seniors 60 years and above
  • War Veterans Grant – For those who served in World Wars or Korea

Introduction of SRD COVID-19 Social Relief Grant

The temporary SRD grant was specifically introduced to aid unemployed individuals without income during the pandemic. 

However, it should be noted that those receiving the SRD grant cannot concurrently receive NSFAS funding based on the eligibility criteria. The SRD grant is mutually exclusive with the NSFAS tertiary study grant.

Other SASSA Grants and NSFAS Eligibility

Nonetheless, recipients of permanent SASSA social grants like the Child Support, Disability, or Foster Care Grants may be eligible for the NSFAS tertiary study grant, provided they satisfy additional criteria. 

Financial eligibility is determined based on their status as SASSA grant recipients, but they must also meet academic, age, and other requirements to secure NSFAS bursaries or loans.

49% Reserved Portion of NSFAS Budget for SASSA Recipients

For the year 2025, NSFAS has allocated 49% of its total government grant budget exclusively for SASSA social grant recipients, automatically meeting the financial eligibility criteria. 

This allocation includes R38.6 billion for university students and R8.9 billion for TVET college SASSA recipients, ensuring that financially needy students already benefiting from SASSA assistance can access NSFAS funding.

Eligibility Criteria for NSFAS

To be eligible for the NSFAS tertiary study grant, SASSA social grant recipients must have a 

  • gross family income below R350,000 per annum, 
  • be South African citizens, 
  • be accepted to a public university or TVET college,
  • meet academic eligibility criteria, 
  • satisfy age-related requirements (35 or under, or 40 for disabled students).

 Furthermore, they should not already possess a post-school qualification and must submit all required supporting documents, underscoring the significance of meeting both academic and financial eligibility requirements.

Key Takeaway

In essence, SRD grant recipients cannot avail themselves of NSFAS benefits, while recipients of other permanent SASSA social grants can, provided they meet the additional NSFAS tertiary study grant criteria. This serves to broaden access to higher education for financially vulnerable youths.