NSFAS admits to past failures, vows to stabilise student housing and funding

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) on Tuesday said it is taking steps to stabilise student accommodation and funding ahead of the 2026 academic year.

At a media briefing, the scheme's leadership admitted to past challenges but said early funding decisions and improved planning would help students access housing, transport allowances, and support graduation.

The move follows funding and accommodation delays that sparked protests last year.

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NSFAS said it would maintain a hybrid model with institutions that managed accommodation independently, while others would get direct support for housing placements.

The scheme's chief executive, Wassim Careem, said dedicated teams would work with financial aid offices to ensure students knew whether they qualified for accommodation.

Careem said the scheme set a key performance indicator to ensure that within four to eight hours of a student arriving on campus, those who qualified were placed in accommodation. He added that this would prevent instances of students being homeless or sleeping in libraries due to operational failures.

NSFAS' acting board chairperso, Mugwena Maluleke, added that the integrated system would automatically verify registration and eligibility.

“This system is designed to put students first and ensure that no student is ever left stranded or without accommodation at any point during the academic year,” said Maluleke.

Written by: Dimakatso Leshoro