There are currently nine (9) NSFAS application statuses that students who applied for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme will see at least once when checking the progress of their application.
So, let’s see them below as we explain the NSFAS application statuses and meanings to your understanding.
Application Submitted
In checking your NSFAS application status, you may come across the term Application submitted. This NSFAS status means you have completed and successfully submitted your application for funding.
Again, whenever you see Application Submitted as your NSFAS application status, your application is received, fully loaded, and is currently in the NSFAS system.
NSFAS is letting you know you have successfully completed your application hence your status will show application is submitted.
Filtering
When you check your application status for NSFAS and the result shows Filtering, it means NSFAS is checking if you are a new applicant or a returning student applicant and whether you qualify for NSFAS funding.
Since both prospective students and returning students can apply for NSFAS, they need to filter your information to verify the type of applicant you are so that, they can process your bursary accordingly.
The trick is, if you’re a returning student and you’re applying for the first time ever, you’re still a new or first-time applicant, only that the information you provide shows you’re already a TVET or university student (returning student)
On the other hand, if you’re a returning student and have applied for NSFAS in the previous year but your application was rejected, you’re considered a returning student who is reapplying..
Validation
When you see Validation as the result of your check, it is informing you that National Student Financial Aid Scheme is running third-party checks with SASSA and the Department of Home Affairs.
According to NSFAS, if you receive a SASSA grant of R350, you still qualify for NSFAS funding.
However, you are not qualified for the SASSA grant if you’re an NSFAS beneficiary.
So, after you apply for NSFAS, they need to validate if you’re a SASSA grant beneficiary anyway, although it does not affect your qualification for funding.
The trick here is that you cant get SASSA grant if you’re getting funding from NSFAS but you can get NSFAS if you’re getting a SASSA grant.
Evaluation
The NSFAS application statuses and meanings in Evaluation mean that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme is verifying all the supporting documents you provided in your application.
The basic requirements for NSFAS application are;
- You must be a South African citizen
- Certified copy of your Identification Document (ID)
- A working email
- A working cell phone number.
NSFAS will have to verify if your documents are accurate, and legit, and qualify you for financial support for your higher education.
If you see evaluation as your NSFAS application status, it simply means your application documents are under scrutiny for eligibility and Genuity.
Funding Eligibility
The meaning of NSFAS application status as Funding Eligibility simply is, www.nsfas.org.za is verifying your household financial status that you provided in your application to conclude if you qualify for the funding.
Students who apply for NSFAs funding must have a combined household of not more than R350 000 per annum.
This means if your combined household income is more than R350 000 yearly, you do not qualify for NSFAS funding.
So, when you see Funding Eligibility as your NSFAS status, you should know the system is verifying your combined household income to check if you meet the requirement of the combined household income per annum.
Awaiting Academic Results or Admission
This NSFAS application status also means that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme is verifying your academic results and your admission status from the institution you applied for study admission or have been accepted to study.
NSFAS has to know if the institution you applied for study has given you admission.
You can only be funded if you are a student of an institution. This means NSFAS has to check with the institution you provided in your application to know if you’re given admission or you’re not.
Normally, this stage of your NSFAS application approval takes longer since they have to wait on your institution for your admission status.
Awaiting Registration
When you see Awaiting Registration on your NSFAS status check page, it means NSFAS is waiting on your institution to provide them with your registration data.
NSFAS needs your registration data to create a bursary for your funding. without your registration data from your institution, NSFAS cannot create a bursary agreement with your institution so they can fund you.
This stage of the NSFAS application progress usually takes longer than you may expect since NSFAS has to wait on your institution for your registration data.
Signing Of Agreement
In the NSFAS application statuses and meanings, where the results of your NSFAS status show Signing Agreement, it means you need to sign your bursary agreement in order for NSFAS to disburse your allowances.
At this point, your application for NSFAS Bursary Funding is approved for allowance.
All you need to do is to sign the NSFAS consent form to commit to the loan agreement with NSFAS.
Payment
In the NSFAS status and meaning, seeing Payment means your allowances are paid and you can check your NSFAS Wallet for withdrawal or use at NSFAS partner stores.
Whatever, the final wish has arrived and you can enjoy your NSFAS allowances however you want.
Although you have absolute control over your allowances, you should spend wisely. This is just our financial advise to you.
We do hope this article was helpful.