NSFAS Working on New Funding Rules for 2027 but Details Still Unclear

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is preparing new guidelines for student funding and accommodation for the 2027 academic year. Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela told Parliament these changes aim to make funding more stable and fairer for students.

Minister Manamela and the NSFAS Board updated Parliament’s Higher Education Committee in late September 2026 about progress. They said the new rules should be ready by 2027, with some reports suggesting a deadline by the end of October 2026. However, no official 2027 funding guidelines have been published yet, and it’s not clear exactly when they will be finalised.

The planned accommodation framework will address how much students can be charged, how residences are graded, who pays for what, and how complaints about unsafe housing will be handled. The guidelines are being developed with input from universities, colleges, student groups, and accommodation providers.

Manamela stressed that readiness for 2027 funding means more than just opening application portals. It includes making sure applications, verification, funding decisions, appeals, registrations, accommodation, and payments all work smoothly. The NSFAS 2027 application cycle opened on 18 September 2026 and is set to close by 31 October 2026 according to official NSFAS sources, though one ministerial statement mentioned a possible 18 November closing date. NSFAS says it will not extend the deadline.

Since the application period opened, NSFAS has received over 51,000 applications. It is also working on improving its systems with better data checks and electronic document signing to speed up funding decisions. The scheme is developing a loan system for students who earn too much to qualify for bursaries but still need financial help, known as the “missing middle.”

Despite these efforts, challenges remain. Unresolved payments, slow registrations, and accommodation issues continue to affect students. The Special Investigating Unit is also looking into some accommodation service contracts used by NSFAS.

For now, students are encouraged to apply early, provide all required documents, and use NSFAS support channels if they run into problems. Funding decisions are expected before the release of matric results to help students register on time.