Student financial aid scheme warns TVET colleges to brace for flood of last-minute applications
Funding organisation says majority of applications it received were for university education
Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) colleges should brace themselves for a wave of last minute, “walk-in” applications for places in January, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) warned on Tuesday. NSFAS estimated that about 200,000 prospective TVET college students were likely to attempt walk-in registration early in 2019 as almost nine out of 10 applications received so far for the 2019 academic year had come from students aiming for university, its administrator, Randall Carolissen, told members of parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education. Applications for funding close on November 30. “That is a big problem, and will place NSFAS on the back foot,” he said, alluding to the administrative challenges posed by such a high volume of last minute applications. NSFAS disburses funding only after students register at a university or TVET college. Higher education institutions discourage walk-ins because they pose safety and security problems. The m...
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