South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) recipients can rest assured that they do qualify for bursaries.
Receiving a grant from Sassa indicates to bursars that the prospective bursary recipient is coming from a disadvantaged background. This is because the means test used by Sassa to determine whether a person’s income is low enough to qualify for grants corresponds to the income requirements of bursaries.
Therefore, those who receive money from Sassa would be able to apply for and receive bursaries. Some bursaries do require Sassa grant recipients to provide proof such as a grant letter and other Sassa details.
Sassa recipients are eligible to apply for bursaries from external organisations and companies as well as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
NSFAS offers financial support to students who cannot afford to pay for their studies at public universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. They cover funding for registration, tuition and allowances.
If you are a Sassa recipient, then no proof of income is required when applying for NSFAS.
If you're still unsure as to which institutions provide financial relief funding for students, then you can contact the institutions admissions office or visit their website for more information.
If you are planning to rely solely on the bursary to pay for your studies, it would be ideal to research and apply to multiple institutions to increase your chances of being approved.
