NSFAS appeal 2027: dates, steps and what to include
Last checked . The process, reasons and documents below come from NSFAS's own appeals page. The 2027 appeal dates come from a news report on the NSFAS timeline. NSFAS changes the rules and thresholds, so confirm on nsfas.org.za before you act.
You can appeal within 30 days of being told you were unsuccessful, and for 2027 funding NSFAS has set 10 to 24 December 2026 for appeals. You appeal online on your myNSFAS profile. Appeal decisions are subject to NSFAS's budget, and NSFAS says appeals are only considered from students who applied for financial aid.
NSFAS 2027 dates
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Applications for 2027 close | 31 October 2026. NSFAS has said the deadline will not be extended. |
| Funding decisions concluded | By 30 November 2026 |
| Decisions audited | 1 to 9 December 2026 |
| Appeals open | 10 to 24 December 2026 |
| Appeal outcomes published | By 9 January 2027 |
| Funded-student lists sent to institutions | By 11 January 2027 |
Source: TimesLIVE, 5 October 2026: NSFAS applications for 2027 close on October 31 · News report, not an official NSFAS notice
Who can appeal, and who cannot
NSFAS describes an appeal as a request that it reconsider its decision not to award funding.
You can appeal if your application for financial aid was rejected, or your financial aid as a continuing student was withdrawn.
You cannot appeal if any of these apply:
- You are registered for a qualification NSFAS does not fund.
- You have reached N+2 (N+3 if you have a disability). The exception is final-year students whose institution has completed a propensity letter.
- You are a gap-year student whom NSFAS previously denied because you did not meet the academic eligibility criteria.
- Your institution has not submitted your registration record to NSFAS, or submitted a wrong one. Take that to your institution, not NSFAS.
How do I appeal?
- Log in to your myNSFAS profile at my.nsfas.org.za.
- Follow the appeal prompts and give the information it asks for.
- Choose the reason that matches your situation and upload the supporting documents listed below.
- Submit within 30 days of receiving your application result, and keep your confirmation.
NSFAS's page does not name the buttons, and the portal layout changes. If you cannot find the appeal option, contact NSFAS through nsfas.org.za and ask your university's financial aid office.
If you were unsuccessful on income
NSFAS considers appeals from students over the income threshold (R350,000 household income, or R600,000 for a student with a disability) when one of these is true. Documents NSFAS lists:
| Your reason | Documents NSFAS lists |
|---|---|
| Household income is below the threshold (you are a vulnerable child, or the combined income is lower than it looked) | Latest ITA34 from SARS and proof of income (payslips) for each parent, guardian or spouse listed |
| Household income has changed since you applied | Latest ITA34 from SARS, plus a retrenchment letter, termination letter or UIF proof of unemployment or incapacity |
| The main contributor to household income has died or been incapacitated | Death certificate for the parent, guardian or spouse |
| You receive a SASSA grant | SASSA letter |
| A court has declared you independent of your biological parents | Court order |
| A court divorce decree makes one parent responsible for your education costs | Divorce decree, and that parent's income documents |
| You are from a child-headed household | A report from a social worker registered with the Department of Social Development |
If you were unsuccessful on academic grounds
NSFAS considers an appeal from a continuing student who was not a first-time entering student in their previous term when your failure to complete the term was due to one of these:
- Severe ill health for two or more months of the term, or during exams (medical report).
- A death in your immediate family during the term (death certificate).
- You were the subject of a violent crime such as rape or abuse (proof).
- You were pregnant and gave birth during the term (medical report).
- A disability, supported by a medical report.
- The academic results NSFAS received are incorrect (evidence of the correct results).
If you are appealing because you have exceeded N+2 (N+3 with a disability), the appeal must be accompanied by a propensity letter from your institution confirming you will complete the qualification within one additional academic term, plus the supporting document for your reason.
Before you appeal
- Check the reason first. Your outcome names the reason, and the document list above depends on it.
- Appeal inside the window. NSFAS counts 30 days from the day you receive your result.
- It is free. Applying and appealing on myNSFAS costs nothing. Be careful of anyone on WhatsApp, TikTok or Facebook offering to lodge your appeal for a fee, and never share your login details or OTP.
- Approval is not instant. A successful appeal is still subject to NSFAS budget, so do your accommodation and registration planning with a backup.
Related help
- Your university's funding section: UJ, Wits, UP, UCT, Stellenbosch, NWU, Rhodes, TUT
- If you are also facing an academic exclusion, read the exclusion guide for your university from the student guide.
- Not sure about something? Ask the Q&A.