NSFAS status varies depending on the outcome of the application reviewing process. Hence, applicants are required to check the status of their applications after successfully submitting them for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding.
Nonetheless, if the NSFAS status shows unsuccessful, applicants still stand a chance to get the bursary by opting for an appeal.
How To Check NSFAS Application Status
There are various means for checking the NSFAS application status. However, the most common method is online. Applicants start checking for their NSFAS status eight weeks after submitting their applications. They can track the NSFAS application progress simply by logging in to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme website. And follow the steps listed below:
STEP 1: On the official NSFAS website, click on the myNSFAS button at the top right corner, and it will redirect you to the MyNSFAS student portal (www.my.nsfas.org.za).
STEP 2: Enter your username and password.
STEP 3: Click on “Sign in”.
STEP 4: Search for “Track Funding Progress” and click on it.
STEP 5: The status of your application will be displayed.
How to Check NSFAS Status Using USSD or WhatsApp
Besides checking online, students can also track the progress of their NSFAS application using USSD or via WhatsApp number. These platforms were provided by the National Students Financial Aid Scheme to make it easier for students to get updates regarding their applications.
NSFAS is now available on WhatsApp and through USSD to it easier for our students to get updates.
Check out this poster for more information on how you can stay in touch via WhatsApp#NSFAS2023 pic.twitter.com/HiItd7w3VV— NSFAS (@myNSFAS) January 26, 2023
For the USSD:
- Dial *120*67327# and follow the prompts on the screen
For the WhatsApp platform:
- You can start a new chat on WhatsApp with this number; +27 78 519 8006
NSFAS Status Check Using ID Number
The student ID number serves as the username for logging in on the NSFAS portal. After signing in with the username and password, the status of the application can be viewed by clicking on “Tracking Funding Progress.” It’s noteworthy that prospective students, who have applied for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding, can only check the status of their applications if they have already created a MyNSFAS account online.
The following are ways to create a new MyNSFAS account:
- Login to the MyNSFAS portal (www.mynsfas.org.za)
- Click on “Create account”
- Enter your first and last names as seen on your ID document
- Enter your ID number, email address, and contact number
- Accept the terms and conditions by ticking the box provided
- Create a password to protect your account
- Confirm the password
- Submit your personal details by clicking on the “Create account” button below
NOTE: Ensure you enter your registered contact number and correct email address, as all forms of communications from NSFAS will be sent through the contact details provided.
Why Is My NSFAS Status Not Showing?
On some occasions, when you try to check the progress of your NSFAS application, no status will be showing. There are many reasons for that, and one of them might be that you applied recently, and your application hasn’t yet been processed. Thus, your NSFAS status won’t be available.
It can take the National Student Financial Aid Scheme up to eight weeks to process an application. As a result, applicants need to wait for a while before starting to check for their NSFAS status. The second reason why your NSFAS status may not be showing is that you might not have fully fulfilled the eligibility requirements.
As the bursary scheme only fund students with financial needs, you have to ensure that you meet all the criteria to qualify for the funding. Sometimes, the status might not show when the NSFAS application is rejected.
NSFAS Status and Their Explanations
- Application approved: This means that after reviewing your application, your NSFAS funding has been approved.
- Application unsuccessful: The status entails that you do not meet one or more of the requirements to receive the funding. Hence, your application was rejected.
- Provisionally funded: A student is provisionally funded after his or her application has been approved. However, the funding is tied to the student’s registration for an NSFAS-funded course at a TVET college or a public institution. After the student has registered for an academic year, NSFAS awaits registration data from the student’s institution to commence with the funding.
- Filtering: The system verifies whether you have any previous qualifications or you are a returning student.
- Evaluation: This NSFAS status means that the financial body is still verifying all the documents you submitted during the application process.
- Funding Eligibility: The National Student Financial Aid Scheme is verifying the financial status of your household, which you declared in your application document.
- Validation: This means that the NSFAS is conducting a third-party check with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
- Awaiting Academic Results/Admission: At this stage, NSFAS is checking your academic results and your admission status to be sure that you are eligible for the funding.
- Awaiting Registration: NSFAS is still waiting to receive data from your institution to proceed with the bursary agreement.
- The Signing of the Bursary Agreement: The student is required to sign a bursary agreement with NSFAS to enable the disbursement of the allowances.
- Payments: At this stage, the students’ allowances have been paid either through their institutions or NSFAS wallet. After this stage, students are, however, advised to keep on checking their MyNSFAS account for updates.
What To Do If Your NSFAS Application Is Rejected
Once your NSFAS application is unsuccessful, you can appeal to the financial body for reconsideration. The appeal, which is a request to review the decision made by NSFAS not to fund a student who applied for funding, cannot be made by every applicant. Hence, students who can appeal are those whose decisions are subject to budget availability and have applied to NSFAS for financial aid.
Students who cannot appeal include:
- Those whose institution has not submitted their registration record or submitted an incorrect registration record
- Those who registered for a qualification not funded by NSFAS
- Gap-year students who were previously denied financial aid by NSFAS because they did not meet the academic eligibility criteria
- Those that have reached N+2 (or N+3 in the case of students with disabilities)
How To Lodge An Appeal With NSFAS
STEP I: Login to your MyNSFAS account
STEP II: Click on the “Submit Appeal” tab.
STEP III: On the page, you can see the reason for your unsuccessful application status.
STEP IV:Â Choose the reason for the appeal
STEP V: Upload supporting documents that will back up your reason.
STEP VI: Click “Submit Appeal.”
NOTE: Students who wish to appeal have to do so within 30 days of receiving their application results. They are also required to download and complete a relevant propensity letter to support their reason for the appeal. The relevant propensity letters are as follows:
- Appealing N+1
- N+2 students with disability
- Failure to meet academic eligibility
- Registered for 50% or less (final year course credits) to complete
