Record number of applications for SA student funding

Source: Pexels

"Over 70,000 applications were received for student funding for the 2025 academic year, with 60,000 applicants seeking support for undergraduate studies and 10,000 applicants seeking support to pursue postgraduate studies," it said.

“This is the biggest volume of applications that we have received to date. To us, this proves that a growing number of aspiring, as well as enrolled students, see Isfap as a partner that can help them to achieve their future goals and build a better life for themselves and their families,” said Werner Abrahams, CEO of Isfap.

The organisation, motivated by the positive response regarding the number of applications received, has urged more potential partners to come on board.

“As is evident based on the high number of applications that we’ve received, the demand for bursaries remains high, for this reason, we want to extend an invitation to private organisations who can offer funding to help meet this need, to come on board and partner with us on this mission,” Abrahams added.

With this focus on addressing the skills shortage in South Africa, Isfap funds higher education in fields critical to South Africa's economic development, including actuarial science, engineering, medicine and nursing, computer and data science, chartered accountancy, and other occupations in high demand, as defined by the Human Resources Development Council (HRDC).

NSFAS 2025 application cycle opens

23 Sep 2024

Isfap mainly aims to support missing middle students who come from a household where the income ranges between R350,000 and R600,000 per annum. In addition, the programme also accommodates unfunded students with a household income of between R0 and R600,000 per annum

The programme not only focuses on academic excellence but also provides mental health support, life skills training, and financial literacy programmes, helping students thrive in all aspects of university life.

Since its launch following the #FeesMustFall movement, Isfap has funded over 3,600 students, covering tuition fees, accommodation, books, laptops, stipends, and psychosocial support, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience and success.