FUNDING IN A TIME OF COVID

With uncertainty swirling in every sphere of society, it’s more important than ever to get a tertiary education. It is, however, a reality that enrolling at a university or college costs – in most instances – a lot of money. So, what are you to do, caught between a rock and a hard place, unable to afford the qualifications you so sorely need to make it in a world where everything seems to cost a ton of money? Luckily, it’s not all doom and gloom. As sure as there will be an end to the Covid-19 pandemic, you will be able to enroll in university or college if you work hard, achieve good marks and make the right moves. Applying for a bursary at The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSAFS) is a move in the right direction. So read closely, and when you’re done, make that phone call and send that email. Because, the time to get moving is now!

NSFAS is a bursary scheme funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training for those who do not have the financial means to fund their studies and cannot access bank funding, study loans or bursaries.

If you come from a family with an income of R350 000 or less, you qualify for a government bursary offered via the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)

For your university studies, it covers: • Accommodation as per the actual costs charged by the university (costs for private accommodation must not exceed costs for university residence) • Transport (up to 40km from institution)

R7 500 per annum • Living allowance of R15 000 per annum • Book allowances R5 200 per annum • Incidental/personal care allowance R2 900 per annum for students in catered residences

For Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) it covers: • Accommodation in an urban area R24 000 per annum • Accommodation in aa peri-urban area

R18 900 per annum • Accommodation in a rural area R15 750 per annum • Transport (up to 40km from institution)

R7 350 per annum • Transport R7 000 per annum • Incidental/personal care allowance R2 900 per annum.

In addition to your family income being below R350 000, you qualify if: • You are a SASSA grant recipient • You have a disability and your family’s combined household income is not more than R600 000 per annum • You started studying before 2018 and your family’s household income is not more than R122 000 per annum.

• First, secure a place at your university or college of choice • You will still have to meet the academic requirements or criteria for a particular public university or TVET college • Each university will still set its own fees for its various programmes of study, which will be covered by the government bursary if you qualify • Once you have been offered a place, apply for your university or college bursary online through NSFAS • NSFAS reserves the right to verify your household income, to ensure that you are eligible for free tertiary education • If your funding application is successful,

NSFAS will pay your fees directly to the institution where you are enrolled • If you fail to secure a place in an institution, register on the Department of Higher Education’s Central Applications

Clearing House (CACH) system once you’ve received your matric results. This online application portal will then share your information with all the universities, colleges, private institutions and SETAs that still have space available. Here’s a great bit of news: The Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, officially launched the National Student Financial Aid Scheme’s

(NSFAS) Digital Learning Device programme at the South Cape TVET College, George Campus on 11 June 2021. The launch marks the roll-out plan on the distribution of laptops to NSFAS funded students both at universities and colleges.

So, yes, NSFAS support includes more than funding! Students who are registered at a public institution and are approved for NSFAS 2021 funding can order their laptops online. Once you have ordered your laptop online and all the necessary checks have been completed, you will be contacted to collect your laptop on campus of the institution you are registered at. NotethatNSFASfinancialsupport previously was in the form of loans and stillneedstobepaidbackwhenyoufind employment after completion of your studies. If you passed all your subjects, 40% of the NSFAS funding for that particular year/ semester will be converted into a bursary. This means you will only pay back 60% of the loan when you start working.

• National Student Financial Aid Scheme on 086 006 7327, info@nsfas.org.za or www.nsfas.org.za • Career Centre on 086 999 0123 or www.careerhelp.org.za • Department of Higher Education and

Training on 0800 087 2222 or www.dhet.gov.za • National Career Advice Portal on http://ncap.careerhelp.org.za/ • For lists of bursaries available, check out www.bursaries-southafrica.co.za or www.zabursaries.co.za

Once your NSFAS funding has been approved, you need to set up a NSFAS Wallet. Your NSFAS Wallet will allow you to withdraw cash and/or spend at any merchant registered by NSFAS. Allowance amounts are determined through consultation with institutions, communicated to NSFAS when you register.

• Once you’ve been granted a NSFAS bursary, NSFAS will send you a “Welcome”

SMS advising you to verify your account • Dial *134*176# and follow the prompts to verify and authenticate your account • You will receive your password in an SMS, which will give you access to your account.

Never share your password with anyone • Once you have received your password, you may access your account by dialling *134*176# • You may withdraw cash from participating stores (Shoprite, U-save, Checkers, SPAR,

Boxer or Pick n Pay).

When your NSFAS Wallet account is created by NSFAS, you will receive a “Welcome” SMS advising you to verify your account. Ensure at ALL times that you have access to the cell phone number you provided to NSFAS upon application, as this is the number we will use to deposit your funds.

Should you wish to withdraw cash, you may do so at any of their cash withdrawal merchants, Checkers, Boxer, U-Save and select SPAR stores. Note that these stores have daily cash withdrawal limits from R200 – R1000 per day.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, NSFAS activated a business continuity plan to facilitate uninterrupted funding to students, resolution of student applications queries, processing of appeals and general assistance to institutions with NSFAS administration.

By doing this, NSFAS want to ensure that students receive their allowances during this time of general hardship and uncertainty to sustain themselves, continue with academic activities online, as well as to pay for learning materials. So they’re urging students to open bank accountstoensuremoreefficient disbursements of funds from institutions where applicable. Going forward, NSFAS is working on a banking model that will eliminate all intermediaries in the disbursement value chain and facilitate direct deposits from NSFAS into student bank accounts. Therearemanybanksoutthereoffering manydifferentaccounts.Manyofthemhave accounts designed especially for students, so look out for those (they have names like Dezign Student Account or MyMO Account or simply Student Account. Really, you can’t miss them).

• Some bank accounts can be opened online, while others have to be opened in-branch. • To open an account, all you need is your ID book and proof of residence. • A bank account is a reliable way to keep your money safe while earning interest. Yes, we’re living through a dark time, but like the old saying goes: It’s always darkest right before dawn. Soon South Africa, and the world, will experience a new dawn with new opportunities and a very bright future ahead. As the leaders of today know only too well, humanity can only move forward through the education and training of you - the leaders of tomorrow.Sowhileitmayseemmoredifficult than ever to reach your dreams, don’t despair, help is out there.

Through an establishment of a virtual contact centre for operations during the lockdown, NSFAS has been processing 4 390 inquiries daily, with a large number emanating incasefinalisation. They remain fully functional and accessible through these platforms to ensure that students inquiries are attended to as soon as possible. NSFAS is accessible on the below platforms from 08h30 to 17h00, Monday to Friday: • Email: info@nsfas.org.za • Facebook: National Student Financial

Aid Scheme • Twitter: myNSFAS • Instagram: myNSFAS • NSFAS Connect: www.nsfas.org.za PM