The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) plays a critical role in enabling access to higher education for financially disadvantaged students in South Africa. Through its comprehensive funding model, NSFAS covers tuition fees, accommodation, transport, learning materials, and other essentials.
Are NSFAS Allowances Enough to Cover the Real Cost of Studying?
However, one of the most pressing questions remains: Are NSFAS allowances enough to cover the real cost of studying?
What NSFAS Covers
NSFAS provides financial support to eligible students at public universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The support includes:
- Tuition Fees – Paid directly to the institution.
- Accommodation – Capped at a certain amount, paid to university residences or approved off-campus housing.
- Living Allowance – R16,500 per year (around R1,650 per month).
- Transport Allowance – Up to R7,875 per year for students staying at home (within 40 km of campus).
- Learning Materials – R5,460 per year for books, stationery, and digital tools.
- Incidental/Personal Care Allowance – R3,045 per year, especially for TVET students.
While these amounts may seem adequate on paper, real-life experiences suggest otherwise.
The Gap Between Allowances and Real Costs
1. Accommodation and Rent
Accommodation is often the largest expense for students. NSFAS provides funding for university-owned or accredited residences. However, in cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban, private student housing costs can far exceed the NSFAS cap—sometimes reaching over R5,000 per month. Many students struggle to find safe, affordable housing within budget.
2. Food and Essentials
The R1,650 monthly living allowance is meant to cover food, toiletries, laundry, and other daily necessities. Yet with rising food inflation, even basic groceries often exceed this amount. Students often report having to skip meals or rely on food parcels, which affects concentration and academic performance.
3. Transport Costs
For those living at home, the R7,875 transport allowance may not be enough, especially in areas with poor public transport infrastructure. Students commuting via taxis or buses on long routes can quickly exhaust their monthly allocation.
4. Learning Materials and Devices
The learning materials allowance of R5,460 may cover textbooks or basic stationery but often falls short for courses requiring expensive software, lab equipment, or a reliable laptop. While some institutions offer free access to software, students frequently need to pay for internet data—another hidden cost not fully covered by NSFAS.
Read more: NSFAS Allowances 2025: Full Breakdown of Payment Amounts
Hidden and Unforeseen Expenses
Beyond the obvious, students also face unexpected costs such as:
- Printing and copying fees
- Faculty-specific materials (e.g., lab coats, art supplies, toolkits)
- Internet connectivity for online learning
- Extra-curricular or field trip costs
- Emergency medical expenses not covered by public health services
These can easily add hundreds or even thousands of rands to a student’s yearly cost of living.
How Students Cope
Many NSFAS beneficiaries take on part-time jobs, side hustles, or rely on family support to fill the gap. Some universities offer food banks or hardship grants, but these are limited. Others may resort to debt or risky financial arrangements to stay afloat.
Also check: NSFAS for Students Living in Rural Areas: What You Need to Know About Accommodation & Allowances 2025
While NSFAS does a commendable job in funding access to higher education, the allowances often fall short of the real cost of student life. In particular, urban students, those in expensive fields of study, or students without strong family support structures are especially vulnerable.
For NSFAS to be truly effective, funding must keep pace with inflation, regional cost differences, and the changing needs of students in the digital age. More flexible and needs-based allowances could go a long way in reducing student hardship and improving academic success rates.
