NSFAS Eligibility and the Household Income Threshold

Who NSFAS funds

NSFAS funds South African citizens studying approved qualifications at public universities and TVET colleges. You need to meet both a financial requirement, based on household income, and an academic requirement, based on your admission or your ongoing pass rate.

The household income threshold

NSFAS assesses your combined household income, meaning the income of your parents, legal guardian, or spouse, not just your own. The published threshold for general applicants sits at a combined household income of R350,000 a year or less. Students with a disability qualify under a higher threshold of R600,000 a year in combined household income. Confirm the exact figure for your application cycle on nsfas.org.za , since NSFAS reviews thresholds periodically.

Automatic qualification through SASSA

If you or a member of your household receives a South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant, NSFAS treats you as automatically meeting the financial eligibility requirement, without a full means test against your income documents. You still need to submit your SASSA-linked documentation through myNSFAS so NSFAS can confirm the grant record.

Academic requirements

If you are a first-time applicant, you need a valid admission or provisional acceptance at a public university or TVET college in a qualification NSFAS funds. If you already receive NSFAS funding, your continued eligibility depends on passing your institution's Student Academic Progress requirement each year and staying within your N+2 funding years.

Who does not qualify

• Households with combined income above the published threshold, unless a member qualifies through SASSA or another automatic category.
• Students already holding a qualification at the same or a higher level than the one they are applying to fund, in most cases.
• Students studying at private colleges or universities, since NSFAS funds public institutions only.
• Students who exceeded their N+2 funding years for a qualification without an approved appeal.

Special categories NSFAS recognizes

NSFAS also funds students who fall into specific vulnerable categories regardless of the standard income test, including orphans without means of financial support, children from child-headed households, and students who were in the foster care system. If you fall into one of these categories, indicate it clearly on your myNSFAS application and upload the relevant supporting documents, such as a death certificate for a deceased parent or a foster care order.