Close to 900,000 students have applied for financial support from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for the 2026 academic year, with young women accounting for more than two-thirds of all applications received by the end of December 2025.
The figures were revealed by NSFAS acting board chairperson Dr Mugwena Maluleke during a media briefing held in Pretoria on Tuesday. The scheme outlined its state of readiness for the upcoming academic year.
“NSFAS is pleased to confirm that we have processed all 2026 funding applications prior to the start of the academic year,” Maluleke said. “We received a record 893, 847 applications. A testament to the scale and importance of our mission. Of these, 593, 981 applications, which makes up 66.45%, were submitted by female applicants.”
Females make up bulk applicants
Male applicants accounted for 299, 866 applications, or 33.55% of the total.
Maluleke said the data reflected a sustained trend of strong female participation in higher education. It is underlining the growing role of young women in South Africa’s academic and skills pipeline.
According to NSFAS, 520, 545 of the applications were submitted by South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) beneficiaries. This while 2, 551 applications came from students living with disabilities.
By the end of the processing cycle, 609, 653 applications had been approved. A further 203, 731 were still in progress, 16, 862 had been cancelled, and 49, 568 were rejected following what NSFAS described as a rigorous assessment process.
The bulk of applications came from first-time entering students. They accounted for 766, 232 submissions. Compared with 125, 157 applications from senior students continuing with their studies.
Age distribution
In terms of age distribution, teenagers submitted 428, 632 applications. While applicants in their 20s accounted for 417, 823. Smaller numbers were recorded among older age groups, including 42, 186 applicants in their 30s. A total of 4, 585 in their 40s, and 621 aged 50 and above.
Maluleke said all funding decisions for the 2026 academic year were completed by December 31, 2025. And this allowed universities and TVET colleges to proceed with registrations with certainty.
“The initial release for first-time entering students took place on 15 December 2025. And institutions are now able to access their funding-eligible lists,” he said.
He stressed that institutions carried key responsibilities to ensure smooth registration and timely disbursement of allowances. Universities were required to submit 2025 academic results by mid-December and upload 2026 admission lists as early as possible. And also ensure that students were not enrolled in expired qualifications, which NSFAS would not fund.
New accommodation framework
On allowances, Maluleke confirmed that university-led distribution would continue in 2026. An upfront payment is scheduled for February 1, which covers book allowances and one month of living costs. NSFAS is also rolling out a new, more centralised accommodation framework. This is aimed at improving transparency, preventing student displacement, and ensuring prompt payment to accredited providers.
NSFAS will deploy servicing administrators to all 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges from January 13 to March 31, 2026. This is to support institutions during the registration period. The scheme has also streamlined its appeals process. With the final deadline for appeals set for January 14, and outcomes expected by February 16.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to expanding access to higher education,” Maluleke said. He added that NSFAS would continue working with institutions and stakeholders to ensure that no eligible student is left behind in 2026.
Maluleke was appointed NSFAS acting chairperson by Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela. The appointment was effective from November 10, 2025. And it was after the resignation of the previous chairperson.
According to the ministry, the move was to ensure that NSFAS remained fully functional. To also ensure that its core operations, including preparations for the 2026 academic year, continued uninterrupted during the transitional period.
