Overview
- All 2026 funding decisions were finalised by December 31, with 893,847 applications received, 609,403 approved, 49,538 rejected, 218,043 incomplete, and 16,863 cancelled.
- An upfront payment on February 1 will cover the full book allowance plus one month of meal, accommodation, personal care and travel costs, and the scheme says funds are secured for February and March.
- A centralised accommodation portal launches for applications and tracking, with NSFAS paying accredited private providers directly and aligning housing timelines to the academic calendar.
- Servicing administrators will be deployed from January 13 to March 31 across 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges, with a target to place qualifying students in housing within four to eight hours of arrival.
- Appeals close on January 14 with outcomes due February 16; most rejections reflect income above the R350,000 threshold, and among continuing students 416,688 met progression criteria while 129,264 did not.