NSFAS Disability Bursary: Funding for Students with Disabilities in South Africa
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Jul 26, 2025 • Student Life, African Scholarships & Student Funding
NSFAS covers a full undergraduate qualification for South African students with disabilities and adds disability-specific support on top of standard funding, including money for assistive devices, human support and medical assessments.
💵 Household income limit for the disability bursary is R600,000 a year, higher than the R350,000 limit for other NSFAS applicants.
🎓 Disability top-ups: up to R50,000 once-off for an assistive device and up to R50,000 a year for human support such as a scribe, guide dog or interpreter.
📩 A once-off R2,000 covers a medical or disability assessment for the whole qualification.
🏠 Apply through myNSFAS and your university's financial aid or disability office, with proof of disability from a medical doctor.
Who this bursary is for
NSFAS runs one national bursary scheme, but a student with a diagnosed disability gets extra allowances and a higher income ceiling than students applying under the standard rule. It covers South African citizens accepted into a first undergraduate qualification at any of the country's public universities. This funding pays for support; it sits alongside campus disability units, which handle exam accommodations and equipment loans day to day.
What the bursary covers
NSFAS funds tuition and registration fees, plus a living allowance that includes meals, a transport allowance, a personal or incidental allowance, and money for learning materials, the same standard package every NSFAS-funded student receives, per Disability Connect . On top of that, NSFAS adds allowances built specifically around a disability, which is where this bursary differs from standard NSFAS funding.
Income threshold
Standard NSFAS funding caps combined household income at R350,000 a year. For students with disabilities that ceiling rises to R600,000 a year, letting in households that would not qualify under the standard rule, according to Disability Connect . Students who already receive a SASSA disability grant qualify without further income checks.
Disability-specific allowances
| Support | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Medical or disability assessment | R2,000 once-off | Limited to one assessment for the whole qualification |
| Assistive device | R50,000 once-off | One device per qualification, doctor-recommended |
| Human support | R50,000 a year | Covers a scribe, tutor, guide dog or sign language interpreter |
Assistive devices funded this way have included wheelchairs, screen-reading software such as JAWS and ZoomText, and specialized computers, based on need documented by a doctor.
Repairs and renewal
NSFAS funding also covers repair and maintenance of an assistive device already approved, so a routine fix does not need a fresh R50,000 device grant. Human support funding runs annually, so you reconfirm need each year you stay registered and continue to meet NSFAS's academic progress rules.
Documents you need
Grade 12 results or certificate.
A letter from a medical doctor confirming a permanent disability.
A green, barcoded South African ID.
Proof of your parents' or guardians' income: a payslip, pension or grant slip, or an affidavit if unemployed.
How to apply
Apply through the myNSFAS portal and then follow up directly with your university's financial aid office, since disability-specific support is assessed there rather than added automatically to a standard NSFAS award. Apply as soon as you have your Grade 12 results, since disability documentation and assistive-device assessments take time to process, per Vuk'uzenzele . Each university sets its own internal deadline for disability applications on top of the national NSFAS window, so confirm the date with your institution.
Register with the campus disability unit too
Getting this bursary does not replace registering with your university's disability unit. NSFAS pays for devices, human support and living costs, while the campus unit organizes exam accommodations, note-takers and classroom arrangements. Register with both as soon as you accept your admission offer.