Twitter Reacts to NSFAS Only Funding Students Who Passed 75% of their Modules

Twitter Reacts to NSFAS Only Funding Students Who Passed 75% of their Modules. After Matric, most students want to further their studies. The reality of the matter is that pursuing higher education is expensive, hence financial assistance is needed. Here in South Africa we have the National Student Financial Aid Scheme which provides financial aid to undergraduate students to help pay for the cost of their tertiary education after finishing high school.

NSFAS is funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training. The program also manages bursaries such as the Funza Lushaka Teacher Bursary (for students pursuing a teaching qualification), DHET Disability Bursary and other bursaries from the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

Just like any other financial scheme, one has to meet certain requirements in order to be funded. NSFAS funds South Africa citizens registering for the first time at a public South African higher education institution who meet the means test. The means test requires that the applicant’s combined household income (gross) does not exceed R350,000 per annum. The bursary also covers a few post-graduate student qualifications (such as a postgraduate certificate in education).

NSFAS has just added another requirement regarding the students they will fund from now on. In order for students to continue receiving funding from the NSFAS, they need a 75% pass of their of their modules. This simply means that students have to pass at least 75% of the modules that they do as opposed to 50% of the modules like before.

This requirement has a lot of social media users deliberating on whether it’s a good move or not. Some are against this decision as a lot of students will now be left out in the cold. On the other hand others feel that it is high time only serious students get the funds.