a) According to the information provided by the NSFAS, Table 1 below provides the total number of students who (a) applied for and (b) received funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for the (aa) 2013, (bb) 2014, (cc) 2015 and (dd) 2016 academic years at (i) universities and (ii) Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.
Table 1
Year |
(i) Universities |
(ii) TVET Colleges |
||
(a) Applications received |
(b) Number of students funded |
(a) Applications received |
(b) Number of students funded |
|
(aa) 2013 (audited) |
This information is not available at NSFAS as during these years, applications were managed by institutions who were not on the NSFAS Central Application System. |
194 923 |
This information is not available at NSFAS as during these years, applications were managed by institutions who were not on the NSFAS Central Application System. |
220 978 |
(bb) 2014 (audited) |
186 150 |
228 642 |
||
(cc) 2015 (audited) |
178 961 |
235 988 |
||
(dd) 2016 (unaudited) |
244 488 |
225 864 |
Table 2 below provides the total number of students who as at 20 March 2017 had (a) applied for and (b) received funding from NSFAS for the (ee) 2017 academic year at (i) universities and (ii) TVET colleges. It must be noted that these applications refer to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) loan fund (at universities) and DHET bursary fund (at TVET colleges). NSFAS is still making funding decisions and these numbers are expected to increase. In addition, these numbers do not include applications to other funds, e.g. Funza Lushaka; Social Development; National Skills Fund Scarce Skills Fund, etc., as these applications are managed through a different process.
Table 2
(ee) 2017 |
(i) Universities |
(ii) TVET Colleges |
||
(a) Applications received |
(b) Number of students funded |
(a) Applications received |
(b) Number of students funded |
|
2017 First Time Entrants - unaudited |
225 753 |
78 413 |
118 538 |
27 020 |
2017 Returning Students - unaudited |
190 502 |
115 940 |
182 684 |
96 312 |
The entity staff will work overtime, on weekends and public holidays, to ensure that the funding decisions and appeals are finalised. NSFAS has employed additional resources to expedite the process and are currently running two shifts.
Currently, university funding decisions were concluded on 31 March 2017 and TVET College funding decisions will be concluded in April 2017.
COMPILER/CONTACT PERSONS:
EXT: 021 763 3200
DIRECTOR – GENERAL
STATUS:
DATE:
QUESTION 606 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED
Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP
MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
STATUS:
DATE: