NSFAS Acting CEO Waseem Carrim briefs the media on NSFAS’ comprehensive preparations for the 2026 academic year, with a focus on funding disbursements and registration support for all universities and TVET colleges. (Photo: GCIS / Kopano) 
Aiming to turn the tide, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is promising to ensure that students are placed at the centre of things and receive their allowances on time in 2026. It notes that landlords will receive their payments directly, with universities expected to play their part by submitting accurate student registration data early so payments can be processed.
This was revealed on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, at the GCIS offices in Hatfield, Pretoria, during NSFAS’ first briefing of 2026, which addressed preparations for the academic year ahead. NSFAS’ new acting board chairperson, Dr Mugwena Maluleke, outlined key issues and revealed that they had recorded 893,847 applications, with most applicants being female (500,000).
“To date, 609,653 applications have been approved, with 203,731 applications currently in progress; 16,862 applications have been cancelled and 49,568 have been rejected after rigorous review... On 1 February 2026, NSFAS will issue an upfront payment covering the full book allowance [and] one month of meal, accommodation, personal care and travel allowances,” said Maluleke.
/file/attachments/orphans/WhatsApp-Image-2026-01-06-at-11051_214249.jpg "NSFAS Board Chairperson Dr Mugwena Maluleke hosts a media briefing outlining NSFAS’ comprehensive preparations for the 2026 academic year, with a focus on funding disbursements and registration support for all universities and TVET colleges. (Photo: GCIS / Kopano)")
Responding to a media question, NSFAS acting CEO Waseem Carrim said that the rejections were due to the household income of applicants exceeding R350,000. The NSFAS criteria explained that students from households that earned above the R350,000 threshold annually were not eligible for bursaries, but rather loans.
“We do offer those students an opportunity to be transferred to a loan application... I come across instances where people exceed the household income category, but they’ll say to me that they have three children at university at the same time, and it’s just unaffordable for them. I think the way we look at funding for higher education becomes important in terms of the mix of funding options that are available here,” said Carrim.
Only 12,000 loan applications had been received by NSFAS, and they had yet to be approved for funding.
Read more: Multiple funding crises open door to scammers as students await loan approvals and accommodation
Universities and accommodation
To ensure a speedy process for payments and approval of bursaries for continuing students, NSFAS asked all universities to submit their 2025 academic results no later than 1 December 2025. According to Maluleke, the majority of universities had met this deadline, and funding decisions were able to be made before 31 December 2025.
NSFAS says it will deploy staff to universities to ensure students receive assistance with accommodation.
“We intend to deploy full-time capacity to institutions of higher learning, which will work with financial aid offices in the placement of students, and one of the things we set out as a key performance indicator for ourselves is that within four to eight hours of a student arriving on campus, if they qualify for accommodation, they should be placed in accommodation. This will ensure that we don’t see instances of students sleeping in libraries or students being homeless as a result of NSFAS’ operational failures,” said Carrim.
/file/attachments/2986/ChatGPTImageJan6202612_36_35PM_249072_3a7a6708beb0a966fac1710c9518dd03_629057.png "NSFAS 2026 Readiness Timeline: Key milestones from December 2025 to March 2026 are on track, ensuring students receive funding and registration support on time. (Source: NSFAS)")
Read more: Stressed, stranded students left in housing limbo as accommodation chaos persists
Another major hurdle in the previous academic year was the issue of non-payment or late payments to landlords. Daily Maverick has reported that landlords and members of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education were against the NSFAS’ use of four service providers that were meant to apply the accreditation of properties whose owners had applied to the scheme’s accommodation platform. The service providers received a 5% commission from landlords for every NSFAS transaction.
Read more: MPs demand accountability as NSFAS struggles with payments, backlogs and ICT failures
According to Maluleke, accommodation allowances for students in private accommodation would be paid directly to accredited providers.
“This enhancement will strengthen financial management and improve the reconciliation of funds disbursed to accommodation providers and students, eliminating the need for third-party payment processing and ensuring greater efficiency and accountability,” said Maluleke.
Appeals
NSFAS has also communicated that the appeals window will open immediately when application outcomes are communicated, with the final deadline for appeals set for 14 January 2026. Outcomes will be communicated by 16 February 2026.
“Students must submit all supporting documentation within 30 days of their outcome notification,” said Maluleke.
With the 2026 academic year set to start, NSFAS has vowed to be a functioning entity by assisting students with funding and ensuring that the board remains stable after Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said the previous board was illegal. DM