Dr. Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training, has stated that all NSFAS-funded students will be registered by all institutions of higher learning without an upfront registration fee while they await their application results.
The financial aid program will also make upfront payments to institutions to cover registration, tuition, and living allowance costs.
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Over one million applications have been received, with 156 000 SASSA beneficiaries receiving immediate funding.
The application period will be open until next Tuesday. Nzimande stated at a press conference in Pretoria that NSFAS is currently finalizing the upfront payments schedule for universities and TVET Colleges, with payments due by the end of the month.
“In the interim NSFAS has agreed with all our institutions to allow all the NSFAS confirmed funded students to register for the 2023 academic year. This arrangement also applies to all students who qualify under historic debt funds. What does this mean? All NSFAS stipend so will register without having to pay for anything as we start the 2023 academic year,” says Nzimande.
Nzimande has urged students to enroll in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges, claiming that there is still room for new students.
He was providing an update on the post-secondary education and training sector’s readiness for the 2023 academic year. Unlike in the past, colleges are now viewed positively, according to Nzimande.
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“Please do reach out to your college of choice for purposes of getting admitted, we’re however working hard with our plans to ensure that we accelerate the growth of our TVET sector.
In fact, we’re very proud that the image towards TVET colleges is definitely changing in our country. It’s no longer those TVET colleges being looked down upon. Many of our students now register for TVET college programmes,” Nzimande elaborates.
