{"id":266,"date":"2019-04-26T15:19:35","date_gmt":"2019-04-26T15:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gometa.co.za\/info\/?p=266"},"modified":"2019-04-26T15:19:35","modified_gmt":"2019-04-26T15:19:35","slug":"sassa-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/sassa-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"Sassa Grants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sassa grants: who qualifies, and how do you apply?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"advads-atf\" style=\"margin-top: 15px;margin-bottom: 20px;\" id=\"advads-1162887537\"><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- Responsive ads atf -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"8381596201\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div><p>Read on to find out if you are eligible to receive financial assistance from the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Types of grants<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Social Assistance is provided in the form of:<br>\u2022 Grant for older persons;<br>\u2022 Disability grant;<br>\u2022 War veterans grant;<br>\u2022 Care dependency grant;<br>\u2022 Foster child grant;<br>\u2022 Child support grant;<br>\u2022 Grant-in-aid;<br>\u2022 Social relief of distress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Qualifying Requirements<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Grant for Older Persons<\/strong><br><em>The applicant:<\/em><br>\u2022 Must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee<br>\u2022 Must be resident in South Africa;<br>\u2022 Must be 60 years or older and spouse must comply with the means test;<br>\u2022 Must not be maintained or cared for in a state institution;<br>\u2022 Must not be in receipt of another social grant for him\/ herself;<br>\u2022 Must submit a 13 digit bar coded identity document or s or the smart ID card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Disability Grant<\/strong><br><em>The applicant:<\/em><br>\u2022 Must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee;<br>\u2022 Must be resident in South Africa;<br>\u2022 Must be 18 to 59 years of age;<br>\u2022 Must submit a medical \/ assessment report confirming disability;<br>\u2022 Medical assessment must not be older than 3 months at date of application, and spouse meet the requirements of the means test;<br>\u2022 Must not be maintained or cared for in a state institution;<br>\u2022 Must not be in receipt of another social grant in respect of him or herself.<br>\u2022 Must submit a 13 digit bar coded identity document; the smart ID card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>War Veteran\u2019s Grant<\/strong><br><em>The applicant:<\/em><br>\u2022 Must be a South African citizen or permanent resident;<br>\u2022 Must be resident in South Africa;<br>\u2022 Must be 60 years and over or must be disabled;<br>\u2022 Must have fought in the Second World War or the Korean War&nbsp; and spouse must meet the requirements of the means test;<br>\u2022 Must not be maintained or cared for in a state institution;<br>\u2022 Must not be in receipt of another social grant in respect of himself or herself;<br>\u2022 Must submit a 13 digit bar coded identity document; the smart ID card.<br><strong>Child Grants<\/strong><br><em>Foster Child Grant<\/em><br>\u2022 The applicant and child must be resident in South Africa;<br>\u2022 Must provide a court order indicating foster care status;<br>\u2022 The foster parent must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee.<br>\u2022 Child must remain in the care of the foster parent(s)<br>\u2022 Foster parent must provide a 13 digit bar coded identity document; the smart ID card<br>\u2022 Must provide a birth certificate for the foster child.<br><strong>Care Dependency Grant<\/strong><br>\u2022 The applicant must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee;<br>\u2022 The applicant and child must be resident in South Africa;<br>\u2022 Child must be under the age of 18 years;<br>\u2022 Must submit a medical \/ assessment report confirming the child\u2019s permanent, severe disability;<br>\u2022 Applicant and spouse must meet requirements of the means test (except for foster parents);<br>\u2022 The care-dependent child\/children must not be permanently cared for in a state institution;<br>\u2022 Must provide birth certificate for the child;<br>\u2022 The applicant must supply a 13 digit bar coded identity document;<br><em>Note: the income of foster parents will not be taken into consideration.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Child Support Grant<\/strong><br>\u2022 The primary care giver must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee;<br>\u2022 Both the applicant and the child must reside in South Africa;<br>\u2022 The child must be 18 years of age or younger;<br>\u2022 Must provide a birth certificate for the child;<br>\u2022 Must provide a 13 digit bar coded identity document for the applicant;<br>\u2022 Applicant must be the primary care giver of the child\/children concerned;<br>\u2022 The child\/children must have been born after 31 December 1993;<br>\u2022 The applicant and spouse must meet the requirements of the means test;<br>\u2022 Cannot apply for more than six non biological children<br>\u2022 Child can not be cared for in state institution.<br>\u2022 It should be noted that one of the intentions of the child support grant is to ensure that children attend and complete schooling. It is therefore a requirement that a school attendance certificate be produced for children aged between 7and 18 years. However, failure to produce this certificate or failure to attend school will not result in the refusal to pay their child support grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where Do You Apply For A Grant?<\/strong><br>\u2022 You apply at the SASSA Office nearest to where you live;<br>\u2022 If you are too old or sick to travel to the office to apply for a grant, then a familymember or friend can apply on your behalf; with a letter from you as applicant authorising the application;<br>\u2022 Alternatively you may call the SASSA office to request a home visit;<br>\u2022 Your application form will be completed in the presence of an officer from SASSA;<br>\u2022 When your application is completed you will be given a receipt;<br>\u2022 Keep this receipt \u2013 it is your only proof of application;<br>\u2022 You do not have to pay any money to apply;<br>\u2022 If your application is not approved by SASSA, you must be informed in writing as to why your application was unsuccessful;<br>\u2022 You have the right to request SASSA to reconsider its decision, if you are unhappy with the decision made. If the reconsidered decision is still unfavourable, you have the right to appeal to the Minister of Social Development. The request for SASSA to reconsider its decision must be made within 90 days of you being informed of the outcome of your application.<\/p><div class=\"advads-content\" id=\"advads-261575815\"><div style=\"width: 300px; padding: 20px; margin: 0 auto; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\r\n    <p style=\"font-size: 16px; margin: 0 0 10px;\">Need Information or Confused about Something ? <\/p>\r\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/onlineapplications.co.za\/ask\/\" style=\"display: inline-block; padding: 10px 20px; background-color: #007BFF; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; border-radius: 4px; transition: background-color 0.3s;\">Ask a Question<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><div class=\"advads-btf\" style=\"margin-top: 15px;margin-bottom: 20px;\" id=\"advads-3242620096\"><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- Responsive ads btf -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"5513273173\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n<div class=\"advads-cpc\" id=\"advads-3698440119\"><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Sponsored Guide<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Complete Guide to NSFAS Online Loan Application for South African Students (2025)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you are a South African student looking to pursue higher education but are facing financial difficulties, the <strong>National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)<\/strong> is one of the most accessible funding options available. NSFAS provides financial aid in the form of <strong>bursaries and loans<\/strong> to qualifying students at public universities and TVET colleges in South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>This guide will walk you through <strong>everything you need to know about the NSFAS loan application process<\/strong>, from eligibility requirements to application steps and frequently asked questions.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udccc What is NSFAS?<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)<\/strong> is a government-funded financial aid scheme aimed at helping students from low- and middle-income households to access tertiary education without the burden of upfront fees.<\/p>\n<p>NSFAS <strong>offers both bursaries and income-contingent loans<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bursaries<\/strong>: For eligible students who meet academic and household income criteria (especially for TVET and university students).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Loans<\/strong>: For students who do not meet all bursary criteria or who are pursuing postgraduate qualifications not funded under bursary schemes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\u2705 Who Qualifies for an NSFAS Loan?<\/h2>\n<p>To qualify for an NSFAS loan (especially for postgraduate students or programs not funded under the bursary system), you must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Be a <strong>South African citizen<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Be <strong>financially needy<\/strong>, with a household income of <strong>less than R350,000 per year<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Have a <strong>valid South African ID<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Be <strong>enrolled or accepted<\/strong> to study at a <strong>public university or TVET college<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Not be funded through another bursary program that covers all expenses.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain satisfactory <strong>academic progress<\/strong> (returning students).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcda Courses Funded by NSFAS<\/h2>\n<p>NSFAS primarily funds <strong>undergraduate qualifications<\/strong>, but certain <strong>postgraduate programs (e.g., PGCE, postgraduate diplomas in education, and professional courses like LLB)<\/strong> may be considered under the <strong>NSFAS loan scheme<\/strong>, not bursaries.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re studying:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Undergraduate degree or diploma<\/strong>: You are likely eligible for a full NSFAS bursary.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Postgraduate study<\/strong>: You may qualify for a loan, depending on the course and funding availability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcc4 Required Documents for NSFAS Application<\/h2>\n<p>When applying, make sure you have the following documents scanned and ready:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Certified copy of your South African ID or Smart Card<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Parent(s) or guardian(s) ID documents<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proof of income<\/strong> (latest payslips, UIF, or affidavit if unemployed).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consent Form<\/strong> signed by your parent(s)\/guardian(s) to allow NSFAS to verify income.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proof of registration or acceptance at a public institution<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Academic transcripts<\/strong> (for continuing or postgraduate students).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udda5\ufe0f How to Apply for an NSFAS Loan Online<\/h2>\n<h3>Step-by-Step NSFAS Online Application Process (2025)<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Visit the NSFAS Website<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Go to: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za\/\">https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Create an Account<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cMyNSFAS\u201d<\/strong> and register your profile.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll need a <strong>valid email address<\/strong> and <strong>South African cellphone number<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a strong password and verify your account via email or SMS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Login and Start the Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>After registration, log in to your <strong>MyNSFAS<\/strong> account.<\/li>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cApply\u201d<\/strong> to begin a new application.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Fill in Your Personal Details<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Input your <strong>ID number<\/strong>, name, surname, and other details exactly as they appear on your ID.<\/li>\n<li>Provide <strong>household income information<\/strong> and living arrangements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Upload Required Documents<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Upload all supporting documents in <strong>PDF or JPEG format<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Each document must be clear and under the size limit specified.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Submit Your Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Review your application for accuracy.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>\u201cSubmit\u201d<\/strong> and wait for a confirmation message.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Track Your Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Log in regularly to check your application status.<\/li>\n<li>You will be notified via SMS and email at each stage of the process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f Important NSFAS Dates (2025)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Application Opening Date<\/strong>: September 1, 2025<\/li>\n<li><strong>Application Deadline<\/strong>: January 31, 2026<\/li>\n<li><strong>Appeals Period<\/strong>: February 2026 (if rejected)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Disbursement<\/strong>: After registration and approval<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Note: Dates are subject to change; always confirm on the official NSFAS website.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcb8 What Does the NSFAS Loan Cover?<\/h2>\n<p>NSFAS funding typically includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tuition fees<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Registration fees<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Accommodation (if living away from home)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Meals and transport<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Learning materials (e.g., textbooks)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For <strong>loans<\/strong>, repayment is only required <strong>once you start working and earn above a threshold<\/strong> (around R30,000 annually, but subject to change).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udd04 NSFAS Loan Repayment<\/h2>\n<p>Repayments are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Income-contingent<\/strong> \u2013 you only repay when you can afford to.<\/li>\n<li>Administered by <strong>DHET (Department of Higher Education and Training)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Interest-bearing<\/strong>, but interest rates are low and favorable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also apply for a <strong>partial loan conversion to a bursary<\/strong> if you perform well academically.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udd01 How to Appeal a Rejected NSFAS Application<\/h2>\n<p>If your application is rejected, you may submit an appeal via your MyNSFAS portal:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Log into your MyNSFAS account.<\/li>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cTrack Funding Progress\u201d<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>If rejected, click on <strong>\u201cSubmit Appeal\u201d<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Upload any missing or corrected documents.<\/li>\n<li>Provide a clear explanation or motivation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcf1 NSFAS Contact Information<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Website<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za\/\">https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Email<\/strong>: <a href=\"mailto:info@nsfas.org.za\">info@nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Toll-Free Number<\/strong>: 08000 67327 (Monday\u2013Friday, 8 AM\u20135 PM)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Twitter<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/myNSFAS\">@myNSFAS<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Facebook<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/myNSFAS\">NSFAS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcdd Final Tips Before Applying<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply <strong>early<\/strong> to avoid system overload near the deadline.<\/li>\n<li>Use <strong>your own email and cellphone number<\/strong> (do not use someone else\u2019s).<\/li>\n<li>Double-check that all your documents are <strong>certified and legible<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Keep a <strong>copy of your submission confirmation<\/strong> for reference.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p>By following this guide, you can confidently apply for NSFAS funding and move one step closer to achieving your academic and career dreams\u2014without the burden of immediate financial pressure.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sassa grants: who qualifies, and how do you apply? Read on to find out if you are eligible to receive financial assistance from the government. Types of grants Social Assistance is provided in the form of:\u2022 Grant for older persons;\u2022 Disability grant;\u2022 War veterans grant;\u2022 Care dependency grant;\u2022 Foster child grant;\u2022 Child support grant;\u2022 Grant-in-aid;\u2022\u2026 <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/sassa-grants\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}