Question NW832 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training
14 April 2016 - NW832
Bozzoli, Prof B to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training
(1)How many students will be funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in 2016, in respect of (a) (i) first year studies, (ii) undergraduate studies other than in first year, and (iii) postgraduate studies and (b) historic debt, (c) students who were either partially funded or not funded at all in the past three years and (d) any other purpose; (2) (a) how many individual students will cumulatively be funded by NSFAS in any number of respects this year and (b) how many students who qualify for NSFAS does his department estimate will not receive funding this year, despite the increased budgetary allocations?
Reply:
1 (a) (i) and (ii) National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding for the 2016 academic year has been allocated to the universities to administer on NSFAS’s behalf. Universities administering NSFAS funding through the non-student centred model will apply guidelines provided by NSFAS through the NSFAS Rules and Regulation Handbook for the selection of students and determining the actual loan or bursary value to be awarded to a student.
First-year students and other undergraduate students will be funded through the DHET General Loan programme funding (R3.2 billion), DHET Teacher Education loan programme (R124.3 million), DHET Final Year loan programme for final year students only (R1.2 billion), the National Skills Fund (R800 million) and a range of smaller bursary programmes whose beneficiaries are selected by the funder.
Universities are concluding allocation processes and information on the number of students within categories in 2016 is not yet available.
(iii) One funding category is made available for postgraduate studies and therefore the number of students funded is limited. The allocation for the 2016
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DIRECTOR – GENERAL
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QUESTION 832 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED
Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP
MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
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