NSFAS for postgraduates 2026: what is and is not funded
Searches for NSFAS for postgraduates 2026 spike every application season, but the answer remains unchanged: NSFAS does not fund postgraduate qualifications. The scheme’s mandate is limited to a student’s first undergraduate qualification.
What NSFAS does not fund
NSFAS does not fund honours degrees, master’s degrees, PhDs, postgraduate diplomas or postgraduate certificates. This has been NSFAS policy since the 2021 academic year, when the scheme ended postgraduate funding to focus its limited budget on undergraduates and TVET students.
Where to apply for postgraduate funding
NSFAS and the National Research Foundation (NRF) signed a partnership in 2022 to streamline funding for students moving from undergraduate to postgraduate studies. The NRF, through its DSI-NRF postgraduate bursary programme, funds research-based honours, master’s and doctoral studies. Applications open annually and are submitted through the NRF Connect portal.
For teaching qualifications such as the PGCE and BEd Honours, the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme remains the strongest option. It covers tuition, accommodation, meals, books and a small allowance, in exchange for a commitment to teach at a public school.
Other options
Most public universities offer postgraduate merit bursaries and assistantships through their own bursary offices. Sector education and training authorities (SETAs) also fund postgraduate studies linked to their priority skills lists. If you finished undergraduate studies on NSFAS, contact your institution’s financial aid office before assuming you have no options.
For undergraduate students, see the NSFAS status check 2026 guide and the latest NSFAS allowance amounts 2026.