My NSFAS Appeal Form | Opening ,Closing Dates & Registration

If your NSFAS application has been rejected by the organization and you desperately need urgent funds to apply for your dream school/college, then the NSFAS appeal is the perfect window for you. It will allow the organization to reconsider its rejection of your application, and you might end up receiving the funds after all. The process is really simple and will take only a few minutes of your time, given you have an active internet connection.

However, it is not just about submitting the appeal; in fact, there is a lot of uncertainty around the entire appeal process and related details. So, in the following article, I will try to update you with all the relevant details to the best of my knowledge. I suggest that you keep reading to the end of this article so that you can get the complete picture.

What Is an Appeal?

Before we get into the details of the complete process of filing an appeal and other matters, it is imperative that you understand what an appeal basically is so that you can have a better understanding of everything. So, an appeal is a formal request made by a rejected candidate to the NSFAS to reconsider his rejected application.

There could be numerous reasons as to why the application might be rejected in the first place. For instance, your household income could be higher than the threshold.

Or maybe there was another more deserving candidate than you. But whatever the reason might be, if you still think that your application was rejected unfairly, then you can file an appeal to get the authorities to reconsider their earlier decision.

Who Can Appeal for NSFAS

There seems to be a misconception as to who is eligible to file an NSFAS appeal. I have seen many cases where people don’t even know if they can and should file an appeal with NSFAS. And I am ninety percent sure that you don’t know whether you can do it yourself.

So, to solve that mystery, I must tell you that only those students who applied for NSFAS financial aid previously and got rejected can apply for the appeal. Other than that, if you applied for aid with NSFAS before but then withdrew your application due to any reason, you are also eligible to benefit from the appeal.

On the other hand, if you never applied for financial aid before, then you can not appeal to the organization whatsoever. In fact, you will just have to apply for the aid first and hope that you get it in the first go. The appeal is only for the rejected ones or the ones who withdrew their applications before the status change.

The Complete Process for the Appeal

Step 1: First of all, you will have to log into your MyNSFAS account. Make sure that you have an active internet connection.

Step 2: Now, navigate the website and click on the option saying “Track Funding Progress.” A new window will open with various tabs appearing at the top. Click on the one saying “Application Progress”.

Step 3: You will instantly receive a message stating your application status. If this message says “Unsuccessful,” only then can you submit an appeal.

Step 4: For the purpose of filing an appeal, click on the tab saying “Submit Appeal”. This will land you directly on the “Application Appeal” page. Here, a list of all the possible reasons for your application rejection will be provided. Choose the one applicable to you and attach all the required documents on this page.

Step 5: Once everything is attached and in perfect order, click on the “Submit Appeal” option appearing at the bottom of this page.

Step 6: Finally, download the propensity letter from the NSFAS website and fill it out with all the correct details. Submit it as well, and wait for the organization to review your appeal. You may also track the progress of your application through your account.

How Long Does NSFAS Appeal Take?

Usually, it takes about thirty days for NSFAS to review the application appeal lodged by NSFAS applicants. It means that within thirty days from the date of your appeal submission, you will receive an answer. However, during busy seasons when there is an overload of appeals, for instance, at the start of the academic year, the organization may extend this duration.

So, in that case, you will just have to wait for the application status change. I would suggest that you keep using the MyNSFAS website to track the change in your appeal status.

NSFAS Appeal Requirements

For the filing of an appeal with the NSFAS, you will need a few documents to attach to the appeal page of the MyNSFAS website. Your appeal shall not be entertained unless you provide all the supporting documents with the appeal.

So, I would suggest that you gather all these documents before you attempt to file an appeal. These documents include a combined income statement of your household earners/payroll slip, retrenchment letter, termination letter, UIF forms indicating unemployment, SASSA letter, and death certificate of parent/guardian/spouse. You are required to attach the documents that are applicable to you.

NSFAS Appeal Stages

There are four main stages of the NSFAS appeal, namely: The application of the funds, rejection of the application, submission of the appeal, and approval of the appeal. Let’s discuss all these stages in detail down below.

1. Application for the Funds

The first stage is the application for the funds. In this stage, the applicant applies for the funds in the normal way, as stated on the website.

If you need guidance relating to the application process, you can simply google the facts. All in all, you will just have to visit their official website, create a MyNSFAS account, and download, fill out, and submit their bursary application form.

2. Rejection of the Application

The next stage in this process is the rejection of the application. The organization will review all your facts and documents provided by you and carry out certain background checks as per their policy. If they find any misstatements on your application forms, if you do not comply with their eligibility criteria, or if there is another more deserving student than you, then your application forms might get rejected.

This is the reason why it is so important for you to fill in all the accurate and authentic details on the forms because it will all be passed through a screening process. Nevertheless, the rejection of your application forms is a mandatory step in the appeal filing process.

3. Submission of the Appeal

Now that your forms have been rejected, you have a choice to file an appeal with the NSFAS organization within the first thirty days of the rejection. You must keep this time period in mind because, at the expiry of this thirty-day time period, you become ineligible for the appeal filing. So, after that, your appeal shall not be entertained, no matter how deserving you might be.

Hence, you will have to go through the entire process of applying for an NSFAS bursary all over again. In simple words, you will have to go through the entire process from scratch, and it will be a very lengthy and time-consuming process.

In any case, the submission of the appeal is very simple and pretty straightforward. All you have to do is go to the MyNSFAS website and navigate your portal to find the appeal page.

From the list of reasons for the application rejection, select the one that is applicable to you. After that, download and fill out the propensity letter form to seal your appeal filing.

4. Approval of the Appeal

Once the appeal is filed, there will be a thirty day time period during which the organization will review your appeal. This time period may be extended during busy seasons, such as at the start of a new academic year. During this period, all you can do is wait hopefully for your appeal status to change to “Successful.”

Once the status of your appeal is approved, you will receive the required funds soon after. They may ask you to provide further details or visit your home personally. But at this point, you are ninety-nine percent close to receiving the funds.

What Happens After NSFAS Appeal Is Approved?

After your NSFAS appeal is approved, you will start receiving regular payments. In fact, the organization will directly pay your tuition and registration fee to your institute. As far as your monthly allowances are concerned, you will have to create an NSFAS bank account for that purpose.

Once the account is established and fully activated, you will have to notify the organization. Soon after, you will start receiving your payments on a regular basis.

Appeal Finalized Meaning NSFAS

The NSFAS appeal status saying “Appeal Finalized” means that your appeal has been accepted and that the earlier decision of rejection of your application has been reversed. You will be receiving the required funds shortly.

In fact, you won’t have to bother with the college tuition fee or the registration fee whatsoever. In fact, NSFAS will clear all your dues on your behalf. However, in order to start receiving your allowances, you will have to create a bank account with NSFAS. This is because NSFAS only transfers money through and to its own accounts.

Closing and Opening Dates for Appeal

Usually, during the middle of the year, if your NSFAS application gets rejected, such rejected candidates can apply for an appeal only within the next thirty days from the rejection of the appeal. After the expiry of this duration, the organization does not entertain appeals of that particular person, no matter how deserving.

However, if you are a fresh candidate or a continuing student who recently got rejected for further financial aid from NSFAS, then you would have to wait for the specific dates set by the organization. These dates for the year 2024 are 20th January to 20th February. Make sure that you file your respective appeals on a timely basis because once the deadline expires, your appeal will be discarded.

How to Write an NSFAS Appeal Letter?

The NSFAS appeal letter is a request to NSFAS so they review their decision not to fund a student who applied for funding. The final decision after appeal depends on the availability of the budget and only applies to students who had previously applied for NSFAS funding. If you are confused about how to write an NSFAS appeal letter, keep reading.

How Do I Write an NSFAS Appeal Motivation Letter?

Writing an appeal is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is follow these simple steps.

• Before you jump to writing, review your application and note down the reasons for rejection from NSFAS. It can help you draft your appeal motivation.
• Print the appeal form from the official NSFAS website and fill it out in block letters.
• Write a motivation letter explaining you should be granted NSFAS funding.
• Make sure it has no grammatical or technical errors.
• Finally, submit the documents and this letter to the NSFAS student portal, as explained below.

Elements of the NSFAS Appeal Letter

Your NSFAS appeal letter should include the following.

• Why has your application been rejected?
• Why your funding was revoked and reinstate how you plan to improve it.
• State whether your financial situation has been changed.
• What are the factors that have affected your academic performance and financial conditions?

Who Cannot Appeal?

Students are not permitted to appeal in the following cases.

• They are registered for a qualification that NSFAS does not support.
• They have reached the N+2 or N+3 level. It applies to students who have applied on disability criteria.
• The student is a gap year student and was denied NSFAS funding because he/ she was not able to meet the academic eligibility criteria.
• The educational institution has not submitted its registration record to the NSFAS student portal. Or the student has submitted an incorrect or misrepresented registration record from the institution to NSFAS.

Income Threshold Conditions

If you are a student who exceeds the income threshold, your NSFAS appeal will only be considered in the following cases.

• The financial situation of your household income has changed since you submitted the application. You must make sure the evidence is provided to the NSFAS.
• The court declares the student independent of his/ her biological parents. In this case, the court has issued a decree that the parents are not responsible for the student’s maintenance, including his/ her education cost.
• The student belongs to a child-headed household. This should be reported to the Department of Social Development by a credible social worker.
• The student’s parents are divorced, and the court has dedicated the responsibility of the child’s maintenance (including the child’s education) to one parent. In this case, that parent must fulfill the financial eligibility criteria set by NSFAS.

Documents Required for NSFAS Appeal Letter

Here are a few documents you must submit with your NSFAS appeal letter.

• Proof of income is needed to prove that you fulfill the financial requirements. It can be your payslips, recruitment letter, or any other financial document to show your current status.
• A certified copy of identification. It can be your passport, 13-digit barcoded ID document, or driver’s license.
• Proof of academic transcripts. It should include your grades for the entire semester.
• Student parent’s and guardian’s identification document. It is required from dependent students.
• If the student is applying on disability quota, they must provide a disability form.
• Your guardian or parent’s death certificate if the candidate’s parents have passed away. They must also provide a consent form with it.
• Proof of conditions that may have affected your financial or academic conditions. It includes everything from medical documents to family emergency documents.
• A letter of support from an academic advisor, if applicable.
• A letter of apology if the appeal is for the violation of funding conditions.

What To Do If NSFAS Rejected My Application?

The initial application has been rejected by NSFAS, right? Most of the NSFAS-enrolled students have a similar claim that NSFAS declined their initial application, and the reasons were unknown. However, it occurs because students upload uncertified and irrelevant documents and unmindfully fill out the form; however, follow these steps to lodge an appeal.  

Step 1: Go to the official NSFAS website and click “my NSFAS.”

Step 2: Log in to your account and go to “Track Funding Progress.”

Step 3: If it shows that your application has been declined, you can lodge an appeal by clicking the “Submit Appeal” option.

Step 4: A new page will arrive where you need to provide reasons for reconsideration and upload the additional required documents to the NSFAS website. 

Step 5: It is advised that instead of mentioning a 5 to 10 word statement, an applicant would write a short and appealing letter to the NSFAS in the “Reason” bar. 

Step 5: Once the application has been submitted, check the status of the appeal from time to time.

How to Reapply for NSFAS?

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allows deserving students to reapply for the funds if they have canceled their application for some reason or got rejected. NSFAS is an initiative started by the government of South Africa to help financially unstable students pursue their education. Students can apply for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) through their online portal.

An NSFAS bursary covers tuition, textbooks, accommodation, meals, and transport costs, reducing financial stress. Thousands of students apply for this scheme, some being accepted while others being rejected. However, those who got rejected have the opportunity to apply for NSFAS again as long as they satisfy their eligibility criteria.

Students who were initially denied NSFAS funding may find the process of reapplying online troublesome. However, do not worry; applicants will navigate through it successfully with the right guidance. In addition, remember that you can only reapply for NSFAS if you meet their specified requirements.

Step-By-Step Instructions on Reapplication Procedure

Many applicants, whether newcomers or continuing students, often wonder about the process of reapplying to NSFAS. It is a common concern for those seeking financial assistance from NSFAS. However, it is crucial to grasp the criteria and requirements set by NSFAS before reapplying.

This proactive approach ensures you are better prepared following an unsuccessful application. Follow the following guidelines to reapply for the NSFAS funds successfully.

Step 1: Open the NSFAS Official Website

The first step is to open a safe and secure web browser on your laptop, mobile, or any other device and search for NSFAS’s official website (nsfas.org.za/content/ ). The website has a user-friendly interface, making navigation and accessing information a breeze for all users.

Step 2: Open Your Account

Since you have already applied once for NSFAS, you should have an account associated with your application. However, to apply for NSFAS again, you must create a new account. Now, after opening the NSFAS website, navigate to the “myNSFAS” option in the top right corner.

Then, proceed to click “Register”. Upon clicking “Register” a verification box will appear, allowing NSFAS to confirm your details and personal information. Be sure to click on the verification box.

Step 3: Provide Your ID Number

After clicking on the verification box, proceed to enter your full name, ensuring it matches the one on your ID. Afterward, provide your email address and mobile number so you can effortlessly access it anytime.

This action will take you to a new page, where you will be prompted to create a password. Make sure to enter a password that is easy to remember and confirm.

Step 4: Re-register

Proceed to the next step by uploading a scanned copy of your ID, then click “Register” once completed. Afterward, you will receive an OTP at the email address and phone number you entered during registration.

However, keep in mind that the OTP will expire after 24 hours. Enter the received OTP and press the “Submit” option.

So, it is safe to say that the NSFAS appeal is a perfect opportunity for you all to get the organization to reconsider its rejection of your bursary application. It is a very simple process and increases your chances of receiving the financial aid that you need for your studies. So, I would definitely recommend you all file an appeal within thirty days of your rejection status.