Does NSFAS Pay For The Whole Year 2025-2026?

How many years does NSFAS fund; Does NSFAS Pay For The Whole Year 2025-2026?

Financial limitations can sometimes be a big barrier for many individuals when pursuing higher education. But in South Africa, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is vital to helping eligible students with financial aid. NSFAS funds are divided into trimesters or semesters to correspond with the academic calendars of the individual colleges. This ensures that students receive financial assistance at important times during the academic year when expenditures such as tuition and housing are due. The payment structure may differ, and students should be informed of their institution’s unique distribution timetable.

The question “Does NSFAS pay for the whole year?” is one that students regularly ask. This post will examine the NSFAS funding length and explain how it might help students succeed in their academic endeavours.

READ MORE: How Many Years Does NSFAS Cover 2025-2026

Duration Of NSFAS Funding 2025-2026

NSFAS funding is assigned on an annual basis, which means it covers the entirety of an academic year. The duration of an academic year can vary, consisting of either two semesters or three trimesters, depending on the institution and program of study. NSFAS Payment Date Include;

First Semester NSFAS Payment Date:

• Cycle 1 – All Campuses 26 February 2025
• Cycle 2 – All Campuses 06 March 2025
• Cycle 3 – All Campuses 22 April 2025
• Cycle 4 – All Campuses 20 May 2025
• Cycle 5 – All Campuses Monday 17 June 2025

Second Semester NSFAS Payment Date

• Cycle 6 – Medical School 01 July 2025
• Cycle 6 – All Other Campuses  08 July 2025
• Cycle 7 – All Campuses 05 August 2025
• Cycle 8 – All Campuses 02 September 2025
• Cycle 9 – All Campuses 07 October 2025
• Cycle 10 – All Campuses (Final payment for 2025)  04 November 2025

NSFAS Eligibility Criteria 2025-2026

Before preparing to apply for NSFAS funding, it is crucial to understand the eligibility criteria. To be considered for financial assistance, applicants must meet the following general requirements:

• South African citizenship or permanent residency.
• SASSA grant recipients
• Applicants whose combined gross household income is not more than R350 000 per year
• Persons with disabilities whose combined gross household income is not more than R600 000 per year.
• 
Must have an email account and cell phone number.

Required Documents For NSFAS 2025-2026

To apply for NSFAS for the 2025-2026 academic year, the following documents are required;

Students with disabilities must provide:

• A completed and signed Disability Annexure A Form

Students recognised as vulnerable children must provide:

• An applicant who is recognised as a vulnerable child by the Department of Social Development must provide and Vulnerable Child Declaration form completed by a social worker

Other documents that may be required, if applicable:

• Retrenchment letter
•  Death certificate/s
• Divorce Decree
• Proof of legal guardianship
• Marriage certificate
• other documents may be required for appeal purposes,….eg retrenchment letter.

How to Apply for NSFAS 2025-2026

NSFAS primarily accepts online applications through its official website. The application process generally involves the following steps:

• Create a profile:

Create a myNSFAS account via this link: https://my.nsfas.org.za/ or download the NSFAS App on Google Play or App Store. Your ID number will be your username.

• Apply now:

Click on the “Apply’ tab to update your personal information and upload your application supporting documents, as indicated.

•  Complete:

Submit your application.

READ: NSFAS Supporting Documents 2025-2026

NSFAS Contact Information

• Website: www.nsfas.org.za
• Email: info@nsfas.org.za
• South African students: 0860 067 327
• International students: +27 21 763 3232
• Physical Address: 10 Brodie Road, Wynberg, Cape Town, South Africa, 7700
• Postal Address: Private Bag X1, Plumstead, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, 7801

Visit the NSFAS Official website here. Hope the provided information is helpful,

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