The Nationally Funded Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a student-centred bursary and loan scheme available to eligible South African students to pursue higher education. The NSFAS receives its budget and funding from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). Therefore, its funding covers both public universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in South Africa.
NSFAS awards bursaries to deserving students enroled in TVET colleges and offers loans to students attending public universities in South Africa. Thus, the NSFAS allows students with financial constraints to complete higher education.
This article will help readers understand what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean, the reasons behind it, and the steps they can take to advance to a fully funded status.
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What Does Provisionally Funded Mean?
Provisionally funded meaning in NSFAS terms is that the student applying for the NSFAS bursary or loan is eligible for funding. These students should be relieved with the provisionally funded by NSFAS, meaning they will receive financial assistance for the upcoming academic year as long as they submit their remaining paperwork.
When we try to understand what does provisionally funded in NSFAS means, it indicates that the applicant has met the following criteria:
- Is a South African citizen or permanent resident
- Has enroled or plans to enrol in a public university or TVET college
- Combined household income of less than R350,000
- Meet the admission criteria
- Applying for aid during the application period
Therefore, when students see ‘provisionally funded’ as their application status, they should take that as a positive sign. It shows that they are a step closer to receiving funding. These students should register at their university or TVET college for the NSFAS-funded course.
Once registration is complete, the University of TVET College will submit the details to NSFAS to complete the process for funding.
Get Insights on the List of Courses Funded by NSFAS Here
What are the Reasons for Being Provisionally Funded by NSFAS?
Receiving a provisionally funded status on the NSFAS application is a right step in securing financial aid and beginning higher education. However, it also means that applicants still need to meet some requirements. Once these are fulfilled and NSFAS has reviewed all the documentation, the application will be upgraded to full-funded status.
We have covered what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean. Let us examine some reasons why an applicant might receive a provisionally funded status.
- Incomplete Verification: This could mean that the NSFAS needs to confirm that you have met the academic requirements to pursue the programme of your choice.
- Awaiting Final Matric Results: The NSFAS could also be waiting for your final matric scores to determine whether you have passed grade 12.
- Institutional Confirmation: The NSFAS could be waiting to hear back from the institute that you have registered for an NSFAS-funded course.
- Pending Submission of Documents: The applicant might have missed submitting certain documents, and the NSFAS could be waiting on those.
What is the Difference Between Provisionally Funded and Fully Funded?
Provisional acceptance means that a person is eligible but has not yet met all the required criteria, such as final scores or document verification. A full acceptance indicates that an applicant has met all the requirements.
When we think of what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean, it suggests that the student is eligible based on the information provided. If they submit the rest of the documents and meet the criteria, NSFAS will upgrade their financial aid status to fully funded.
What Steps to Take If You Are Provisionally Funded?
One of the criteria for NSFAS funding is low household income. Therefore, students who rely on NSFAS require funding to continue with their higher education programmes. If a candidate receives a provisionally funded status on the NSFAS application, they should immediately take the necessary steps to successfully complete the funding.
We have clarified what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean, let us know understand how that status can be updated.
- Submit Required Documents Promptly: Students should review the pending documents and submit them as soon as possible. These could be exam scores or income verification.
- Confirm Registration with Institution: Students should also contact the institute where they intend to study to ensure they have submitted all the required documents. If a student has already registered, the institute must convey the details to the NSFAS as soon as possible.
- Check NSFAS Status Regularly: Finally, students should regularly check their NSFAS status so any additional documentation can be required.
How Long Does It Take to Move from Provisionally Funded to Fully Funded?
The amount of time it takes to change the application status to fully funded varies on a case-by-case basis. Since we have covered what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean, we can understand that with this status, the funding has not been approved.
The time it takes to update the application’s status primarily depends on the speed at which the student can submit all the missing documents. Applicants need to show urgency at this stage since the funds cannot be released until the application’s status changes.
After all the additional documents have been submitted, the speed at which the NSFAS can process your application depends on the number of students applying for funding. Since the NSFAS has to verify and process documents on its end, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
What are Some Potential Issues Students Can Face With a Provisionally Funded Status?
When we try to understand what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean, it becomes clear that even though it means that a student is eligible for financial aid, it is not as yet guaranteed. The required financial aid amount can only be distributed once NSFAS has received and verified all the required documents.
While trying to understand what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean on their application status, students should verify the required documents and eligibility criteria along a checklist. This will help them locate the issue that has created problems on the status of their application.
Therefore, students are urged to submit correct and complete information during the application process. These are some issues that students can face when they receive a provisionally funded status.
- Non-compliance with Requirements: Students who fail to check their NSFAS status regularly might overlook the documents missing from their applications. If these are not submitted within a timeframe, the funding could be withdrawn.
- Incorrect Information: If NSFAS realises the applicant submitted incorrect information, it can reject the funding. Therefore, it is essential to double-check all the information that students submit.
- Institutional Delays: Not all delays happen because of the student. The institute where an applicant has enroled might not have submitted documents from their end. Students should contact the institute and have them submit documents as soon as possible.
How to Avoid Being Stuck in a Provisionally Funded Status?
The fastest way to secure funding is to submit the correct information and all the required documents when applying. After submitting their application, students should check the status regularly in case any additional documents are required to complete the process.
Since students applying for financial assistance depend on the aid money, they should take all the necessary steps to avoid falling under the provisionally funded status.
Since we now comprehend what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean, let us look at a few tips to avoid that status when applying for NSFAS funding.
- Submit Documents Early: Since the NSFAS application commencement date is announced in advance, students should try to keep all necessary documents ready. Once the application period opens, they should try to submit it as soon as possible.
- Accurate Information: Students must ensure all the information submitted is correct and will not raise any questions when verified.
- Follow Up Regularly: Students must follow up with their institute to ensure they submit all the registration-related documents on time.
If students follow these steps, the process will be seamless from start to finish. They will also not have their funding held back due to their provisional status.
What Happens If Provisionally Funded Status Does Not Change?
As soon as students notice that their application status has been changed to provisional, they must take the necessary steps to amend it. Failure to do so might result in the funding being declined, which means that the student might not be able to pursue higher education for the current academic year.
The NSFAS funding status can change to provisional even after acceptance. Therefore, students who have been accepted for funding need to maintain their academic requirements for the duration of the programme. If their grades fall, they could lose funding and might be unable to purchase textbooks or pay for their rental accommodation.
If students have taken all the necessary steps, yet the status of the application remains unchanged, they need to contact NSFAS. Additionally, they can contact the financial aid office at their college or university for further assistance.
How to Check Your NSFAS Application Status?
Once students submit their application for NSFAS funding, they must check the status regularly. If the application is missing certain documents, students will be alerted through their myNSFAS Portal.
- Step 1: Visit the NSFAS website.
- Step 2: Click on the myNSFAS button.
- Step 3: Log in using your username and password.
- Step 4: Navigate to the application status section to view your status
Conclusion
The government-backed NSFAS funding can help ease the financial burden of thousands of students yearly. As the NSFAS examines applications and verifies documents, it might place some on a provisional funded status. So, what does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean? It means that even though a student is eligible for the funding, they could be missing some documents. These must be submitted urgently before the NSFAS can fully fund the student.
Students should check out Regenesys for the wide variety of programmes that we offer in multiple academic disciplines.
NSFAS: What Does Provisionally Funded Mean – FAQs
What is NSFAS?
NSFAS is a government-funded financial aid service that provides bursaries for TVET college students and loans to public university students.
What does provisionally funded in NSFAS mean?
In NSFAS, provisionally funded means some requirements or documents needed by NSFAS still need to be met before funding can be released.
Can I get a NSFAS bursary if I am going to university?
Unfortunately, the bursary is only available to students attending TVET colleges.
Can my NSFAS funding be cancelled?
It is possible for the funding to be cancelled if an applicant fails to meet all the requirements.
How can I check the status of my NSFAS application?
Students can log on to myNSFAS Portal on the NSFAS website to check the status of their application.
