This article contains a guide on how to apply For NSFAS laptop in South Africa and the requirements in 2024.
Over time, the South African government has tried to ensure that education is accessible to every South African citizen irrespective of the social strata and background. To achieve this, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was created.
National Student Financial Aid Scheme is a bursary that the government of South Africa offers to students from the less privileged backgrounds. The aim of this is to ensure that such students can comfortably go through their studies in the universities or TVET colleges.
Hence, NSFAS provides financial assistance in the form of a study bursary to qualified students who wish to study or are already studying at TVET colleges and public universities. NSFAS has different loans and bursary schemes.
During the global pandemic, NSFAS launched the Digital Learning Device Project. This enables NSFAS funded students to apply to receive a laptop from their learning material allowance. The goal of this Project was to help students gain access to online learning during the national lockdown which led to shutting down Universities and TVET Colleges. This project has been functional since then.
Although many students are eager to benefit from this project, not too many of these students know how to go about getting a laptop. This, however, has brought about a series of questions about the NSFAS laptop.
For this reason, we will be talking about the application process for the NSFAS laptop.
Before delving into the application process, it is important to understand that the NSFAS laptop is not open to all students. Only students, who are currently funded by NSFAS and are registered to study at a public university or TVET College from the year 2020, can order the laptop.
THE NSFAS LAPTOP APPLICATION PROCEDURE AND REQUIREMENTS IN 2022
So, in order to receive the laptop you must place an order online. Here are ways to apply for the NSFAS laptop:
- Visit the NSFAS website here
- Go to myNSFAS.
- Go to Order NSFAS laptop online
- Fill in your ID number
- Fill in any additional information which will include your student number, name of the institution and campus you are registered at, contact details and home address.
- Agree to the “Terms and Conditions.”
- Complete your order.
Once this process is completed, NSFAS and the institution you are registered at will verify your details as well as your order.
After the verification process has been completed an order for your laptop will be placed with NSFAS service providers to dispatch the device for delivery. You will be contacted by either the laptop service provider or your institution for the collection. Bear in mind that the laptop must be received by you, the student.
When collecting your laptop you must bring along your ID document or birth certificate and proof of academic registration or student card from your institution. Lastly, you will also be required to sign the acknowledgement receipt of the learning device.
CONCLUSION
Applying for an NSFAS laptop is very easy and can be completed in a few minutes. While this project is aimed at helping students to have access to online studies, this Laptop is not totally free as the price is deducted from students’ learning material allowance. Currently, the learning material allowance is R5 200 per year, to be used towards textbooks, devices and other required study materials. Since this allowance may not be enough to cover for both textbooks and a laptop, students are allowed to choose between the two. Hence, critical thinking is advised if you do not have any form of support outside the NSFAS bursary.
