The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has announced that there will be a monthly grant of R7,500 to be given to certain students starting in 2025. The raise in the grant is intended to alleviate the financial burden of living through the covering of the basic necessities of life such as housing, food, learning materials, travel, and other costs of studying.
The government is not supporting all students with the new measure. It is limited to those who are taking up studies in priority areas that are in line with the country’s skill development goals. Health sciences, engineering, education, and some vocational programs are the eligible areas of study.
Who Qualifies & Eligibility Criteria
If a student wants to receive the allowance of R7,500 monthly, they must:
- Be studying in a public university or TVET college (private institutions do not qualify).
- Be in one of the specified priority fields.
- Fulfill the NSFAS income criteria, under which the total household annual income must be less than R350,000.
- Get an application in through the NSFAS portal that is usually open during the period of September to October.
- Submit the necessary documents such as a copy of the ID, evidence of household income, and academic records.
Students who are returning to the institution must also do the process of confirmation again to prove that they still satisfy all the requirements and can benefit from the bigger allowance.
How The R7,500 Will Be Distributed
NSFAS has given students the freedom to use the allowance in a manner that fits their needs. The monthly payout of R7,500, which is the total amount of the allowance, is supposed to cover a number of student needs:
- Accommodation: Those living away from home are roughly allocated about R2,000.
- Learning materials, food, and transport: A part of the total support will be allocated to these essential needs to lighten the financial burden of full-time study.
- Other living costs: The left-over money is used to cover the extra costs that students face during their education.
The payments will be made monthly and directly to those students who qualify starting with the 2025 academic year, which is subject to course approval and other eligibility requirements.
Impact & Broader Implications
The new R7,500 allowance is predicted to enhance access and retention for low-income students who otherwise would not be able to pay the costs associated with education and living. NSFAS wants to give the beneficiaries the financial support they need to concentrate on their studies by relaxing the non-academic as well as the academic costs.
Universities and colleges expect students’ performance and attendance to be positively affected because of their financial stability. The initiatives are also in line with government policy to create a more equitable skilled workforce in the country.
Also Read: SASSA Old-Age Grant November 2025: Payment Dates, Amounts & Latest Updates