The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has paid R222.7 million to six universities for the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, benefiting 2,927 students.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Training confirmed that R222,688,894 has been transferred following a meeting between Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim, senior NSFAS officials and the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme team in Cape Town.
Payments were made to the Central University of Technology, North-West University, University of Fort Hare, University of Limpopo, University of Pretoria and University of South Africa.
The universities are now responsible for processing the funds and paying the respective allowances to students.
Cassim has urged NSFAS to engage the institutions and establish when all affected Funza Lushaka beneficiaries will receive their outstanding allowances.
“These payments must now reach students without delay so they can focus on their studies and not have to worry about outstanding allowances that have been pending for months,” Cassim said.
The Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme provides financial support to students studying towards teaching qualifications at participating universities. It is funded by the Department of Basic Education, with NSFAS responsible for disbursing the funds.
For the current academic year, 23 universities have been allocated R1.3 billion through the programme, covering tuition, accommodation, meals, learning materials and living allowances.
The latest payments follow concerns from beneficiaries about delays in receiving their allowances.
NSFAS said a significant number of claims from institutions remain outstanding. The payment process takes approximately four weeks as claims undergo verification before funds are released.
Claims worth almost R296 million for 3,095 students were uploaded during August and are expected to be processed for payment in September.
More than R500 million in programme funding also remains unclaimed. Institutions have until 13 September to submit outstanding claims for payment in October.
Cassim has directed NSFAS to contact institutions with outstanding claims to determine whether they will meet the deadline and ensure students receive their allowances without further interruption.
NSFAS has also proposed a joint stakeholder workshop in November 2026 to address challenges in the claims process ahead of the next academic year.
The workshop will focus on reducing manual processes through automation, improving communication with students and strengthening alignment around claims and payment timelines.
