28 March 2026
National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) students are eagerly awaiting the payment of their allowances for February and March. In its Welcoming Edition on 11 February, Die Matie reported on the systems and processes related to NSFAS payments and financial blocks. On 24 February, Prof Nicola Smit, Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Stellenbosch University (SU), provided follow-up answers to Tenisha Taylor regarding 2026 allowances, delays in payments, and communication to NSFAS students.
PAYMENT OF UPFRONT NSFAS ALLOWANCES FOR 2026
Question from Die Matie:
Prof Smit, you previously confirmed to Die Matie that NSFAS paid an upfront textbook allowance, one month’s meal allowance, as well as accommodation and transport allowances. Can you outline the process used to disburse these funds and clarify whether NSFAS paid funds for all eligible students, or only for those whose portals reflected “provisionally funded” or “funding eligible” status?
Answer from Prof Nicola Smit:
SU disburses upfront allowances according to the 2025 caps, as the 2026 NSFAS guidelines have not been issued yet. Upfront allowances are allocated to students who are on the funded list for 2026 that was received by SU. On the MyNSFAS portal, the status should reflect “Funded” or “Provisionally Funded”. We have also considered returning students who are not yet on the funded list, but are eligible for NSFAS funding for 2026, based on the internal pre‑assessment we conducted.
While the university has applied the 2025 capped values for February, the disbursement of allowances remains dependent on the completion of the mandatory post‑transfer validation processes. These validations include confirming student eligibility, verifying registration in the correct accredited programme, and ensuring accurate classification for every student.
Because SU is required to account for every rand disbursed, including the portion advanced from its own budget, payments cannot be released until all validations are complete. This ensures compliance, prevents misallocations, and protects students from later recoveries or disruptions.
Die Matie:
Can you provide a clear breakdown of the allowance disbursement process, including the respective roles of NSFAS, SU, and any intermediaries involved?
Prof Smit:
NSFAS issues the annual guidelines (or, if delayed, SU uses the 2025 capped values), provides the funded lists, and releases the tranche of funds. SU validates eligibility and registration once NSFAS data and funding are received. Thereafter SU processes payments immediately. Intermediaries (Intellimali, the SU payment service provider) facilitate the actual transfer of funds to students or accredited accommodation providers.
Die Matie:
What specific criteria must be met before the SU initiates the allowance disbursement process?
Prof Smit:
Allowances are disbursed to students who appear on the funded list, meet all eligibility requirements, and are registered for an accredited programme.
Die Matie:
NSFAS indicated that the upfront allowance was paid to prevent the financial strain students often experience at the start of the academic year. Despite NSFAS making this payment on 3 February 2026, some students have not received any funds by 20 February 2026. What has caused this delay?
Prof Smit:
The delay stems from the required post‑transfer validation processes that confirm eligibility, apply the 2025 caps and metro/non‑metro rules, and ensure payments are allocated to the correct student, for the correct amount, and under the correct classification. This includes checks for students in catered residences, students in private accommodation who have updated their living arrangements, students living at home, et cetera. These processes are time‑consuming and must be completed thoroughly before any disbursement can be made.
Die Matie:
As the March payment cycle approaches, when does the University expect to begin the next round of disbursements? Can students expect to receive their March allowances on time?
Prof Smit:
The university is preparing for the March payment cycle, and we aim to process these payments before 1 March. It is important to note that these disbursements will be made from the approved advance budget allocated by the university. The upfront payment received from NSFAS was intended to cover only one month and was specifically for students already on the funded list. Therefore, students who are eligible, but not yet included on the funded list, have been supported through the university’s budget. Any portion of the NSFAS upfront allowance that remains unallocated must be returned to NSFAS as required.
Die Matie:
Will delays in the February allowance disbursement result in further delays to March payments?
Prof Smit:
At this stage, the March cycle will only be affected if there are changes to the already confirmed living arrangements of students, or if any updates are made to the information currently captured on the system.
Die Matie:
What is the standard period within which the university typically disburses NSFAS allowances, and how does this compare to the timeframe followed in 2025? If there has been a change, what accounts for it?
Prof Smit:
The process to disburse allowances is very thorough and requires significant attention to detail, which makes it time‑consuming. Our experience from previous years has shown that it is far more important to take the necessary time to ensure that the correct amounts are paid to the correct students, and under the correct classifications, than to prioritise speed and risk errors. Rushing this process can lead to challenges later and ultimately place students at risk.
COMMUNICATION FROM SU REGARDING PAYMENTS
Die Matie:
Students have received limited communication from the university regarding the amounts received from NSFAS and the status of allowance disbursements. Why has the university not issued clearer or more frequent updates to affected students?
Prof Smit:
A communication (per email) was sent on 11 February outlining the interim arrangements for disbursing the upfront allowances to the first confirmed cohort of students. Further communication will follow as NSFAS releases updated funded lists. Please see this link for the communication sent out on 11 February 2026: stellenbosch.everlytic.net/public/messages/view-online/4eyohKa1fAzVfEJU/KIwRUoHjSkoSHhXE
A NSFAS communication (dated 20 February) was received on 23 February, providing clarity regarding the 50% book or study material allowance paid as part of the first NSFAS upfront payments for the 2026 academic year.
This information will now be formally communicated to SU students, but in essence NSFAS informed universities that:
“The upfront payment was made on 3 February 2026 to cover student allowances related to study materials, accommodation, transport, food, personal care, and general living expenses.
- Accommodation allowance: Calculated to cover accommodation for February 2026.
- Book or study material allowance: Paid at 50% of the annual book or study material allowance.
- Transport allowance: Calculated to cover the February 2026 transport allowance.
- Food allowance: Paid to cover the February 2026 food allowance.
- Personal care allowance: Paid to cover the February 2026 personal care allowance.”
Die Matie:
If there are delays or operational challenges in disbursing allowances, why has SU not formally communicated this to students, given the financial impact such delays have?
Prof Smit:
SU did not issue a communication about a delay as the priority was to complete the required post‑transfer validations to ensure the accuracy of all allowance disbursements. These processes include confirming eligibility, applying the 2025 caps and metro/non‑metro rules, and verifying each student’s correct classification. Issuing a delay notice without confirmed timelines could have created uncertainty. Instead, once the first cohort of 638 students had cleared all checks, a communication was issued on 11 February outlining the interim arrangements.
Die Matie:
Why has the university not provided students with clear updates on NSFAS allowance delays and the expected timelines for payment?
Prof Smit:
The university has not provided specific timelines because the internal processes required to prepare allowances for disbursement were still underway, and no reliable payment date could be confirmed. The allowance process is detailed and time‑consuming, involving eligibility checks, registration verification, classification of each student (catered residence, private accommodation, living at home), and the application of the 2025 capped values and metro/non‑metro rules. These steps must be completed before any payments can be released, regardless of the caps being used.
The uncertainty about expected timelines is regrettable and we acknowledge the impact on our students. The fact that SU only received clarification from NSFAS on upfront payments on 23 February and had to undertake detailed and time-consuming work to enable payments, led to the decision that it would be too risky to issue timelines before the necessary processes were finalised as it would have risked providing students with inaccurate or misleading information. Instead, the university focused on completing the necessary validations so that, once a date is communicated, it is accurate, and payments can proceed without further delays.
NSFAS STATUS ON PORTALS
Die Matie:
Several senior students are unable to access their NSFAS application portals as they have not yet been migrated to the 2026 system. How does this affect their eligibility and the timing of their allowance disbursements?
Prof Smit:
It is important to note that SU does not manage the NSFAS application or selection process. We act strictly in accordance with NSFAS directives, and the confirmed funded list issued to the university. Continued funding is based on NSFAS criteria, including academic performance, financial eligibility, and the N+1 rule. NSFAS, and not SU, sets these requirements. Students were processed according to the 2026 (provisionally) funded list received from NSFAS, and not the status on their portal. Students who were not yet on the funded list but were eligible based on the university’s pre‑assessment were also included. Any updates from NSFAS will be reflected in future disbursements.
DEBT OWED BY NSFAS
Die Matie:
Does the outstanding debt that NSFAS is still owing to SU for the 2025 academic year – R286,2 million – [have] an impact on the timing or prioritisation of current allowance disbursements? If so, how?
Prof Smit:
Yes, the outstanding debt owed by NSFAS to SU for the 2025 academic year does have an impact. The outstanding 2025 amounts affect cash‑flow planning because SU has not yet been fully reimbursed for costs already paid on behalf of students. As a result, we must carefully manage available funds to ensure that the 2026 disbursements remain compliant and adequately funded.
CONFIRMATION OF STUDENTS’ DETAILS
Die Matie:
Die Matie is aware of students who were informed by the Centre for Undergraduate Bursaries and Loans (CUBL) that payments would be made on 20 February 2026. However, unlike in previous years, students were not asked to confirm their banking details and received no formal communication regarding allowances. Can the university explain this discrepancy?
Prof Smit:
It is important that students maintain the correct contact details on the system. When allocations are processed, students receive a notification with a one‑time PIN (OTP) to update their banking details on Intellimali. We also have an Intellimali infographic with step‑by‑step guidelines available on the CUBL website.
SU Funding Opportunities (SUFO)
All prospective and current NSFAS-funded students are strongly urged to also apply annually for additional SU Funding Opportunities. The applications close on 31 March 2026.
