National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursaries for Teaching

National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursaries for Teaching, National Student Financial Aid Scheme is the South African government student loan and bursary scheme. We provide loans and bursaries to students at all 25 public universities and 50 public TVET colleges throughout the country.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding has grown from R441 million in 1999 to R8,5 billion in 2013.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursary Requirements for Application – National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursaries for Teaching

The following basic requirements must be met in order to apply for any of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme bursaries; applicants must:

Be South African citizens
Comply with the entry requirements set by the universities of their choice / have proof of registration or acceptance to said university

Once successfully awarded the bursary, students must pass all courses and complete the qualification within the minimum time frame prescribed by the particular university to avoid the risk of having to repay the bursary amount.
In some cases, bursars may be required to report their particular National Student Financial Aid Scheme bursary exam results in order to continue to receive funding.
All applications will require certified copies of the following:

ID document
Grade 12 results
Parent/guardian’s ID and employment documents (salary slips/pensions slips if applicable/affidavit if unemployed)
Proof of university acceptance/registration

National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursary Package – National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursaries for Teaching

Unless otherwise stated, the bursary fund will allow for a portion of, if not all of, the following study-related costs:

Tuition
Accommodation
Meals
Travel
Prescribed books/study material

The amounts prescribed for the above-mentioned costs will be dependent on the outcome of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme Means Test. This test assesses to what extent the student’s family can contribute – mainly through determining the gross annual family income. Students can qualify for varying amounts up to the maximum of R60 000 per year.

1. Funza Lushaka Bursary

The Funza Lushaka bursary is available to individuals who wish to study to become teachers. Read our detailed article for more information and access to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme online application.

Scarce Skills Bursary – National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursaries for Teaching

This bursary is funded by the National Skills Fund (NSF) with the purpose of supporting the development of scarce skills in South Africa. Scarce skills include fields such as Engineering, Science, Commerce, IT and Medical. The full list of skills/occupations can be found on the Department of Higher Education document, from page 14.
In addition to the basics, this bursary also includes a maximum of R150 for Internet access (paid directly to the university) and a R3 300 cash allowance (paid directly to the bursar’s bank account) for books, study equipment and other expenses as needed.
Those who wish to apply for Engineering, Geology or Science degrees must have achieved a minimum of level 6 for Mathematics and Science. Those who wish to apply for Accounting degrees must have achieved a minimum of level 6 for Mathematics.Mathematics Literacy will not be accepted.
How to Apply
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursary application form for this particular bursary can be found on the Career Wise website and the closing date is 30 May.
Contact Details
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
Tel: 0861 007 787

4. National Student Financial Aid Scheme Bursary for National Certificate (Vocational) and Certain Report 191 Courses at FET Colleges

Vocational and Further Education and Training (FET) courses are those that offer education and training for students who plan to work towards a specific range of jobs or employment possibilities. In some cases, students may qualify for admission to the University of Technology in order to continue their studies at a higher level. In order to qualify for this bursary, candidates must demonstrate that their potential for academic success with a minimum overall average of 50%.

Contact Details
Tel: 0800 87 22 22

5. Bursary for Students with Disabilities

This bursary programme, conducted through the Department of Higher Education and Training, is applicable to disabled students who wish to study in all fields of study as long as they are accredited higher and further education and training programmes. Candidates must also be academically able and financially needy (as determined by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme Means Test or at the discretion of the Disability Support Unit).
In terms of defining a disability, it is regarded as a long-term impairment (has lasted or is likely to persist for at least 12 months) that is recurring and substantially limiting. For this programme, chronic diseases are also included as a disability; these include HIV/AIDS, diabetes, asthma, cancer and tuberculosis (TB).
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme bursary also covers the costs of an assistive device or human support that the student needs in order to improve their quality of life.

For any further queries either visit the National Student Financial Aid Scheme Student Bursaries page, call 0860 067 327 or email [email protected].