The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has confirmed that it received a total of 893,849 applications from first-time university and TVET (FET) college students for funding in the 2026 academic year.
The application window opened on 16 September 2025 and officially closed on 15 November 2025. NSFAS has since moved into the assessment phase and says funding eligibility decisions are already being communicated to applicants.
Assessment Progress: What NSFAS Has Confirmed So Far
NSFAS reports strong progress in processing applications:
- 481,128 applications from SASSA beneficiaries have been successfully assessed and issued with funding eligibility decisions.
- 49,132 non-SASSA applications have also been assessed.
- Assessment of the remaining applications is ongoing.
This update signals that a large portion of applicants should already be seeing changes to their status on the myNSFAS portal.
Important Note for Continuing Students
NSFAS has reiterated an important clarification:
Continuing students are NOT required to reapply for NSFAS funding.
As long as continuing students remain academically eligible and registered at a public university or TVET college, their funding will continue automatically.
What Applicants Should Do Now
Applicants for 2026 funding are encouraged to:
- Log in regularly to the myNSFAS portal to track their application status
- Respond promptly to any requests for outstanding documents
- Ensure their personal and contact details are up to date
- Watch for official NSFAS communication via the portal, SMS, or email
Funding decisions are released in phases, so applicants who have not yet received feedback should continue monitoring their accounts.
Why These Numbers Matter
Receiving nearly 900,000 applications highlights the continued demand for financial support in higher education and the critical role NSFAS plays in enabling access to universities and TVET colleges across South Africa.
With assessments already well underway, many students will soon know whether their 2026 studies are financially supported.
The post NSFAS Receives Nearly 894 000 Applications for 2026 Funding — Assessments Underway appeared first on StudentRoom.co.za.
