Explain What Is the ‘Missing Middle’? in Details

Missing Middle

The “Missing Middle” refers to students whose families earn too much to qualify for NSFAS funding but not enough to afford university fees out of pocket. These students typically come from households with monthly incomes between R3,501 and R22,000.

With household incomes ranging from R350,000 to R600,000 per year, these students fall outside the NSFAS bursary requirements. To address this, NSFAS has introduced a loan option for those in the Missing Middle category.

Another well-known option available to students in this group is the ISFAP bursary, which offers additional financial support for their studies.