868,626 NSFAS applications in, four days left to beat the 31 October cut-off
Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has told Grade 12 learners to apply now rather than wait for the closing date, and warned that nobody should be paid to submit an NSFAS application.
Students who still want National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding for the 2027 academic year have four days to submit their applications, with the window closing on 31 October.
The application period opened on 18 September 2026. By 19 October the NSFAS dashboard showed 868,626 applications, of which 800,382 came from prospective university students and 68,244 from applicants to Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges.
Female applicants made up 616,558 of the total, or 70.98%, while male applicants numbered 252,068, or 29.02%. The dashboard also recorded 653,778 applicants who are beneficiaries of the South African Social Security Agency, against 214,848 who are not.
Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela urged prospective students, Grade 12 learners in particular, not to leave it to the last day.
“I want to take this opportunity to call on those, especially those who are doing Grade 12, to apply now, and not wait for the 31st of October when the applications close. Don’t pay anyone to apply for NSFAS,” Manamela said.
Applications go through the official NSFAS website, www.nsfas.org.za, or the official NSFAS mobile application. NSFAS has asked applicants to check that their information is accurate and complete and that all required supporting documents are submitted.
The scheme has also warned applicants about fraudulent social media accounts and about unauthorised individuals who demand payment to help with an application or promise guaranteed funding.
This report is drawn from the SAnews (South African Government News Agency) summary of the application round rather than from the underlying NSFAS dashboard data, and the figures are as recorded on 19 October. The source article is at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/deadline-looms-nsfas-applications-1.
