Thousands denied NSFAS funding
Just over 53 000 students, who applied for financial aid from the National Student's Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) did not make the cut.
Chair of the financial aid scheme, Sizwe Nxasana, briefed media on the progress made on applications since the last round closed this month. He says that some 310 000 students are being financed by NSFAS for the 2017 academic year.
Some 3800 students are still waiting for their applications to be reviewed.
Nxasana says NSFAS uses a financial means test and that those who have been turned away have the option of appealing the outcome.
NSFAS says when it comes to historic debt, students need to sign an agreement in order to qualify for relief.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE BREAKING NEWS.
"The students must sign loan agreement forms in order to qualify for the historic debt relief. Once the forms have been signed, we pay the universities and thus we clear their debt," he says.
Nxasana says it remains to be seen whether the R15 billion allocated for NSFAS funding will be enough to help the students that applied for financial aid.
"We will know if the R15 billion is enough, once we have completed the evaluation process. We might have to go back to the Department of Higher Education," he says.