2027 NSFAS applicants near a million with the majority being women

With the closure of the 2027 applications happening in just 10 days, on 31st October 2026, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has shared some hard numbers about what it has received so far. The headline number is that, as its latest count on 19th October, 868 626 applications have been received so far.

With the applications approaching a full million, NSFAS also shares this breakdown across gender, the type of school and SASSA status. Gender Female Male 616 558 252 068 71 percent 29 percent Institution type University TVET 800 382 68 244 92.1 percent 7.9 percent SASSA status SASSA Non-SASSA 653 778 214 838 75.3 percent 24.7 percent Here, we can see a heavy bias towards female applicants, seeking to attend a university over a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college who are also enrolled in South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant.

Aside from these important numbers, Ishmael Mnisi, a NSFAS Spokesperson, also speaks about the importance of a proper application being completed before the deadline, along with a warning about criminals trying to worm their way into proceedings. “Applications can be submitted through the official NSFAS website at www.nsfas.org.za or via the official NSFAS mobile application.

Applicants must ensure that the information is accurate and complete and that all required information or documentation is submitted,” Mnisi says in a video announcement made on social media. “NSFAS cautions applicants against fraudulent social media accounts and unauthorized individuals demanding payment for application assistance or promising guaranteed funding.

These platforms are not authorized by NSFAS, and applicants are asked to exercise caution, protect their personal information, and never pay individuals or organizations claiming to facilitate or guarantee an NSFAS application or funding outcome. NSFAS applications must be submitted through official platforms and no one can guarantee a funding outcome.” With a handful of days until the closure of the applications, we have to wonder what the final tally will be for 2027, and how close, or over, the million mark NSFAS will report.

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