The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, would like to restate the NSFAS funding criteria that no NSFAS beneficiaries will be affected when they change their course or their institution of learning.

In terms of the criteria, continued funding for NSFAS beneficiaries is based on academic eligibility testing which includes the N+ rule.

N is the minimum qualification completion time, also known as regulation time specified by the institution for a programme of study funded by NSFAS.

N+1 applies to first-time entering students first registered after December 2017, whilst N+2 applies to students who first registered before January 2018.

“If a student is transferred from any other public university, regardless of whether they were funded at that university, the number of years already registered for the qualification will be counted as part of the minimum qualification completion time,” said Minister Nzimande.

Minister Nzimande said that NSFAS does not stop funding because students change institutions.

“Student contravenes the rules when they no longer meet academic eligibility requirements, exceed  heir N+ time, and move between institutions  without  declaring  their  movement,”  emphasised  Minister Nzimande.

Enquiries:
Ishmael Mnisi
Cell: 066 037 8859