Editor LauraIf you are interested in studying at a private institution, you may be wondering whether NSFAS will fund your studies. The answer is no: the National Student Financial Aid Scheme does not provide funding for students who want to study at a private institution.
However, if you meet all of the requirements for funding from NSFAS, there are certain circumstances under which it will provide support for a student who wants to attend an accredited private institution.
These circumstances include having applied for admission through Umalusi’s registration process and been denied funding from Umalusi because of insufficient financial need or poor academic results (in which case Umalusi will simply refer them back to NSFAS).
Does NSFAS Fund Private Institutions
NSFAS funds public and accredited private institutions, as long as the student meets all other requirements.
If you are an NSFAS recipient, you can apply to study at a private institution if it is accredited by the Council on Higher Education. The student must have a valid NSFAS ID and meet all other requirements for funding from NSFAS in order for their application to be considered.
If you want to study at a private institution, you will need to find alternative funding.
Private institutions are not eligible for NSFAS funding. As such, they may charge high tuition fees and have limited financial support available for students. Their academic programmes may or may not be accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
If you choose an accredited private institution as your place of study, apply for funding from the institution directly instead of applying for NSFAS funding at both public and private universities.
You should also note that this does not reduce your chances of being offered a loan from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) as it would if you were enrolled at another university in South Africa.
Closing
If you want to study at a private institution, you will need to find alternative funding.