The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has confirmed the monthly allowances payments for students for 2025.
NSFAS offers comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving learners enrolled in approved courses at universities and TVET colleges. These bursaries cover tuition and registration fees, along with allowances for food, accommodation, and learning materials.
How Much Are NSFAS Allowances?
NSFAS pay allowances to students to ensure that they can travel to campus, and have enough money to cover their needs for food and basic personal care.
There are different amounts paid to TVET students and university students.
How Much Are 2025 TVET NSFAS Allowances
Minister of Higher Education and Training Nobuhle Nkabane has confirmed that NSFAS allowances for TVET College students will increase from R10 000 to R14 600 in 2025, representing a 46% increase.
NSFAS has now confirmed the exact amounts and here's what TVET College students can expect to receive in March 2025:
Accommodation Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Students who don't receive this allowance will receive a transport allowance.
- Students living in a Catered residence (Metro): R6 599
- Students living in a Catered residence (Non-metro): R5 663
- Students living in a Non-catered residence (Metro): R5 200
- Students living in a Non-catered residence (Non-metro): R4 264
- Students with disabilities living in a Catered residence (Metro): R6 963
- Students with disabilities living in a Catered residence (Non-metro): R6 027
- Students with disabilities living in a Non-catered residence (Metro): R5 200
- Students with disabilities living in a Non-catered residence (Non-metro): R4 264
Living Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Only specific categories of students, listed below, receive this allowance.
- Students with disabilities living in a Catered residence (Metro): R1 716
- Students living in a Non-catered residence (Non-metro): R1 716
- Students with disabilities living in a Non-catered residence (Metro): R2 080
- Students with disabilities living in a Non-catered residence (Non-metro): R2 080
- Students who receive a transport allowance: R1 716
- Students with disabilities who receive a transport allowance: R2 080
Travel Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Students who receive a transport allowance, both able-bodied students and students with disabilities will receive a transport allowance of R802 in March 2025.
Personal Care Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Only students who live in catered residences receive this allowance which is around R316 per month.
NSFAS Allowances For University Students In 2025
Learning Materials Allowance
This allowance is paid once-off at the beginning of the year. Once it's paid for the year, it won't be paid again. For 2025 students will receive a Learning material allowance as follows:
- Students living in a Catered residence: R5 678
- Students living in a Non-catered residence: R5 678
- Students with disabilities living on residence: R6 240 (Catered and Non-catered)
- Students who receive a transport allowance: R5 678
- Students with disabilities who receive a transport allowance: R6,240
Accommodation Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Students who don't receive this allowance will receive a transport allowance.
- Students living in a Catered residence (Metro): R6 599
- Students living in a Catered residence (Non-metro): R5 663
- Students living in a Non-catered residence (Metro): R5 200
- Students living in a Non-catered residence (Non-metro): R4 264
- Students with disabilities living in a Catered residence (Metro): R6 963
- Students with disabilities living in a Catered residence (Non-metro): R6 027
- Students with disabilities living in a Non-catered residence (Metro): R5 200
- Students with disabilities living in a Non-catered residence (Non-metro): R4 264
Living Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Only specific categories of students, listed below, receive this allowance.
- Students with disabilities living in a Catered residence (Metro): R1 716
- Students living in a Non-catered residence (Non-metro): R1 716
- Students with disabilities living in a Non-catered residence (Metro): R2 080
- Students with disabilities living in a Non-catered residence (Non-metro): R2 080
- Students who receive a transport allowance: R1 716
- Students with disabilities who receive a transport allowance: R2 080
Travel Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Students who receive a transport allowance, both able-bodied students and students with disabilities will receive a transport allowance of R819 in April 2025.
Personal Care Allowance
This allowance is paid monthly, for 10 months. Only students who live in catered residences receive this allowance which is around R316 per month.
NSFAS Loans
Students who are funded with a NSFAS loan only receive an accommodation allowance and a learning materials allowance.
How NSFAS Allowances Are Paid
NSFAS has confirmed that universities will handle the disbursement of student allowances for the 2025 academic year. This means students registered at any of South Africa’s 26 public universities will receive allowance payments directly from their institutions.
The government bursary scheme confirmed that it will continue to pay allowances directly into the bank accounts of students enrolled in approved TVET Colleges.
NSFAS has urged students to ensure their banking details are uploaded and verified on the myNSFAS portal to avoid payment delays.
How TVET Students Can Upload Bank Details
- Visit the myNSFAS portal.
- Log in using your myNSFAS credentials.
- Select "Bank Account Details" under "Profile Information."
- Enter your bank details.
- Click "Save."
