Need student funding? Applications for 2017 will reopen in January

After thousands of students enquired about applying for student funding, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme decided to reopen application processes to allow more students to apply for higher education funding in 2017.

Applications will be reopened from January 9 to January 20, and the results will be made known from February 1.

“Following the closing of applications, thousands of learners continued to inquire about a possible extension to the applications deadline,” said the aid scheme’s executive officer Msulwa Daca.

Daca said the scheme had already received 233 470 applications, including online and mailed submissions.

Social media users took to Twitter to voice their reactions, with many meting out stark criticism towards the student funder.

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced earlier this year that universities would be allowed to determine their own increases for next year, as long as it didn’t exceed 8%.

Last week, the University of Johannesburg joined other universities by increasing its tuition and residence fees for 2017 by 8%.

Other universities that increased their fees by 8% included the University of The Free State, Rhodes University, Stellenbosch University, the North-West University and the University of the Witwatersrand.

	Avantika Seeth Multimedia journalist City Press p: +27 11 713 9001 w: www.citypress.co.za  e: avantika.seeth@citypress.co.za
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