The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has assured UNISA students that outstanding July 2026 allowances are being processed after technical system challenges delayed payments for thousands of beneficiaries.
NSFAS confirmed that allowance funds for eligible students were transferred to UNISA on 2 July 2026 after all payment and reconciliation processes had been completed. However, the university later informed the scheme that technical issues had disrupted the processing of payments.
In a statement, NSFAS said, “NSFAS can confirm that allowance funds due to eligible UNISA students were transferred to the university on 2 July 2026 following the completion of the necessary reconciliation processes.”
The scheme added that the technical challenges had since been resolved. “We have since been informed that these technical challenges were resolved on 6 July 2026 and that the outstanding payments are being processed,” NSFAS said.
According to the university, approximately 93,093 students who were due to receive their monthly Personal Care Allowances were affected by the delays. While some students have already received their allowances, the remaining payments are expected to be finalised during the course of this week.
NSFAS clarified that the delays relate only to the Personal Care Allowance, as UNISA students do not receive meal allowances under the NSFAS funding model. The scheme currently funds 168,480 students with Book Allowances worth R425.6 million and 93,910 students with Personal Care Allowances amounting to R148.6 million.
Acknowledging students’ concerns, NSFAS said, “We understand the concerns raised by affected students and appreciate the inconvenience that delays in allowance payments may cause. We remain in close engagement with UNISA and continue to monitor progress to ensure that all eligible students receive their allowances as soon as possible.”
The scheme also encouraged students to continue monitoring official NSFAS and UNISA communication platforms for updates regarding the payment of allowances.
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