CAPE TOWN – The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has finalised funding for a record 1,026,091 students for the 2026 academic year, a move it touts as a major step toward stability. However, this milestone is shadowed by the urgent predicament facing nearly 300,000 applicants who were either rejected or left in limbo due to incomplete applications — now thrust into a strict 30-day race to salvage their funding chances.
NSFAS Acting CEO Waseem Carrim announced that all decisions were processed ahead of the December 31, 2025 deadline. “We have processed all 2026 funding applications prior to the start of the 2026 academic year,” Carrim stated, emphasising the scheme’s commitment to allowing students and institutions to plan with certainty.
Yet, the data reveals a stark divide. While over a million students can proceed with confidence, the scheme’s own statistics outline a critical pathway for those left behind.
📊 The 2026 Approval Picture: A Statistical Snapshot
The scheme processed 893,847 applications with the following outcomes
| Application Status | Number of Students | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Approved for Funding | 1,026,091 | Includes 609,403 first-time entrants & 416,688 continuing students |
| Rejected | 49,538 | Eligible for appeal within a strict 30-day window |
| Incomplete | 218,043 | Must submit missing documents (e.g., parental consent) within 30 days |
| Withdrawn / Cancelled | 16,863 | — |
| Discontinued (Academic) | 129,264 | Returning students who did not meet progression criteria |
A Legacy of Crisis Casts Doubt on New Promises
This promise of a smooth 2026 rollout is being met with profound scepticism from student organisations — rooted in the catastrophic 2025 accommodation crisis, when NSFAS’s failure to pay landlords triggered nationwide student homelessness.
Read more:
NSFAS payment delays leave students homeless during exams.
- Accommodation Collapse: NSFAS’s failure to settle an R44 million accommodation debt led to mass evictions across campuses:
Thousands of students face uncertainty as NSFAS scrambles to settle R44 million accommodation debt. - Surplus Amid Suffering: Shockingly, this unfolded while the scheme was discovered to be sitting on a R4.4 billion surplus, sparking national outrage:
NSFAS sits on R4.4 billion surplus while struggling students drown in debt. - Corruption Cleanup: Meanwhile, the Special Investigating Unit has already clawed back R2 billion after uncovering widespread improper payments.
Full report:
SIU recoups R2bn for NSFAS, reveals improper claims.
The Critical Next Steps: Appeals and Document Submission
For the 49,538 rejected students, the 2026 appeals process is now the only route to secure funding. NSFAS confirms students have 30 days from the date of outcome notification to appeal — or risk permanent forfeiture.
Similarly, the 218,043 students with incomplete applications must urgently upload missing documents, including parental consent forms where required, within the same 30-day window.
The South African Students Congress (SASCO) has pledged to support affected students, urging them not to delay — warning that hesitation could cost them their education.
Student Action Plan: What You Must Do Now
1️⃣ Check Your Status
Log into your myNSFAS portal and click Track Application Progress.
2️⃣ If REJECTED (Unsuccessful):
- Click Appeal
- Upload supporting evidence (financial change proof, academic motivation, etc.)
- Submit within 30 days
3️⃣ If INCOMPLETE:
- Upload missing certified documents
- Ensure parental consent & declaration forms are correctly completed
- Resubmit immediately
For expert guidance on how to correct errors and build a winning appeal, read:
Rejected by NSFAS? Fix these mistakes in your next attempt — or appeal.
The Bottom Line: A Pledge Under Intense Scrutiny
While Waseem Carrim insists NSFAS has “cleared many outstanding claims,” student trust remains fragile. SASCO has criticised what it calls “ongoing mop-up failures,” where students suffer because NSFAS cannot pay landlords or institutions on time.
The real test of 2026 will be:
- Whether allowances are paid on time
- Whether landlords are paid to avoid evictions
- Whether the appeals process is fair and efficient
- Whether NSFAS can finally deliver consistency
For now, nearly 300,000 students remain in a tense 30-day scramble that will determine whether they study — or are left behind.
