What Happens to an NSFAS Loan if a Student Passes Away During Their Studies?

In 2023, NSFAS introduced the NSFAS Missing Middle Loan as part of their Comprehensive Student Funding Model.

This loan is aimed at both undergraduate and postgraduate students who do not qualify for NSFAS bursaries.

If a student funded by the NSFAS loan passes away during their studies, the current process is for the loans to be written off, as explained by NSFAS Strategic Enablement Executive, Vuyokazi Mafilika.

Students approved for the loan will sign an NSFAS loan agreement, and if they perform well academically, up to 50% of their loan may be converted into a bursary.

Additionally, rejected NSFAS bursary applicants are automatically re-assessed for eligibility under the missing middle loan scheme. The funding prioritizes STEM programmes, with 70% allocated to these fields, and the remaining 30% going to Humanities and social science programmes.