The University of South Africa has to issue an apology to some of its NSFAS-funded students on behalf of the bursary scheme, following a miscommunication.
Student funding, particularly at a tertiary education level, is a sensitive issue and due to this, accuracy is of utmost importance. Any lack and absence of it can have a notable negative effect on students who are funded by that organisation.
The University of South Africa (Unisa) made this mistake when the institution sent an email relating to funding by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to some of its students.
The email in question demanded that beneficiaries of the bursary scheme sign bursary agreements through their myNSFAS account because failure to do so would prevent payments from being made.
NSFAS apologizes for the incorrect email message sent to some students from the email address, [email protected]. The email requested recipients to sign bursary agreements via their myNSFAS portal and that the failure to sign the agreement will result in payments not being processed.
The university further stated that the email was sent unintentionally and that NSFAS-funded students do not have to sign bursary agreements and called on students to report any suspicious emails to NSFAS’s vuvuzela hotline and alternative contact details listed below.
- Phone: 0860 247 653
- Email:[email protected]
- SMS: call back number 30916
Only a Living Allowance and a Learning Materials Allowance are provided to Unisa students who are funded by NSFAS. The Learning Material Allowance is calculated based on the number of modules registered.
After that, Unisa students will receive R600 for each module for the first four modules and a one-time payment of R5200 for modules five to ten. This implies that no extra Learning Materials Allowance will be paid for additional modules if the R5200 Learning Materials Allowance for the first five modules is paid.
The learning material allowance is to be used for textbooks and other resources that Unisa students will need to complete their studies. Students who have registered for ten or more modules receive a living allowance. Students who register for ten modules and later reduce the number of modules registered will, unfortunately, forfeit this allowance.
Additionally, from February to November every year, Unisa students who are enrolled in ten or more modules are given an incidental allowance of R290 each month. This R290 is meant to cover any little expenses that these students may have. NSFAS will also cover tuition fees and registration fees.
