From 2018 onwards, prospective South African FTEN university students who have received a firm offer of a space at, or confirmation of admission into, a public higher education institution and who meet the criteria for financial assistance as coming from a “poor and working class” family, will be eligible for funding.
Prospective students must be South African citizens to be eligible.
Prospective students must have received a firm offer from a public higher education institution, and must accept that offer to register for a first tertiary qualification, in order to qualify for funding.
“Poor and working class” means that the prospective student comes from a family with a gross household income of up to R350 000 per annum.
The “household income” is calculated only in terms of the direct family income (i.e. parents, legal guardians or spouse) of the prospective student. It does not include the income of extended family members (e.g. brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents), if these are not their legal guardians.
The relevant family members (i.e. parents, legal guardians or spouse) of any prospective student who applies for the DHET bursary funding will be required to give consent for NSFAS to undertake a means test to verify that the prospective student qualifies for funding, before the award can be made.