WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE THE 2023 APPLICATION PROCESS

On an annual basis, NSFAF invites students to apply for financial assistance on dates to be communicated to the general public, which shall include the opening and closing date of the applications.

Please note that mature age applications will only be accepted for local public institutions.

It is mandatory that all required documents are uploaded during the application period as no additional documents will be accepted after the deadline. See the content below to understand specific requirements per funding category (undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational).

Due to funding limitations, applications are subject to the below criteria:

• Applicants apply towards priority fields of studies which are available and can be viewed at https://www.nsfaf.na/priority-fields-of-studies/
• Total combined debt to NSFAF may not exceed N$350,000 (previous debt plus loan to be awarded).
• If you have previously benefited from the NSFAF, contact Recovery to acknowledge your debts before a new award is made.
•  Applicants are subjected to vetting with employment status (including self-employment).
• Financial assistance is granted, subject to availability of funds.
• Funding parental income threshold is N$500,000 for students who are 28 years of age or younger and unemployed.
• Funding own/spousal income threshold is N$300,000 for employed students or above the age of 28 and unemployed.

Note:

• Students will be provisionally awarded provided the applicant meets the NSFAF basic funding requirements.
• All applicants will be required to apply online,
• Due dates are final and will not be extended.

Log onto https://students.nsfaf.na/pages/home.aspx to launch your application.

For enquiries or further assistance during the online application process, we have made available the following contact details: +264 61434 6016 / 061 434 6019/ 061 434 6021 / 061 434 6022/ 061 434 6035/ 061 434 6037/ 061 434 6039 / 061 434 6042 / 061 434 6049 / 061 434 6050 or via e-mail: info@nsfaf.na

The Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund notifies potential applicants for 2023 academic year about important information and documents required for application.

Prospective applicants are advised to take note of the following information:

1. NSFAF provides financial assistance to eligible students mainly in a form of loans.
2. No student should be considered for NSFAF funding if he/she has already benefited from a programme at the same level of qualification framework.
3. A student may only receive financial assistance from the Fund to study at any two qualification levels (i.e. Diploma, Bachelor’s Degree, Honour’s Degree, Master’s Degree, or Doctoral Degree). Funding for a third qualification level shall only be permissible if a debtor has settled previous debts. This is necessary to allow the opportunity for other students to benefit from the allocated student funding and also in case of a loan to avoid over-indebting the students.
4. A student who is already a beneficiary but failed/passed a previous academic year but applied for funding the following year to pursue a different programme will not be funded for the new program. NSFAF shall nullify the award upon identifying such a case.
5. An applicant, who fails to submit all required documents before the closing date of the application period, will be rejected.

 

5.1 Documents to be attached when applying for UNDERGRADUATE and VOCATIONAL studies’ financial assistance: a)    A copy of the Full birth certificate, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath; b)    A copy of a Namibian Identification (ID), Certified by the Commissioner of Oath; c)     A copy/copies of school leaving certificate(s) [Grade 11/12 or equivalent, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath, (statement of results for applicants who completed previous years); d)    A copy of mother’s ID or Death certificate, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath or a Declaration made with the Namibian Police made by any remaining parent/guardian; e)     A copy of father’s ID/ Death certificate, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath or a Declaration made with the Namibian Police made by any remaining parent/guardian; f)       Parents/ Guardian certified payslip or with the company stamp, or Declaration made with the Commissioner of Oath, in case of unemployment; g)     A certified copy of your payslip or with the company stamp (if the applicant is employed); h)     In case the applicant is married, provide Spouse’s ID and payslip instead of parents; i)       A copy of a grade 10 or grade 12 certificate, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath (mature age applicants); j)       A copy of proof of admission and test results on mature age from a Public Institution, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath, (For applicant through mature age, applicable only to those with at least 23 years old); k)     Copy of work experience, (applicant applying through Mature Age entry, 3 years for grade 11/12 certificate holder and 5 years for grade 10 certificate holder); l)       A copy of evaluation from Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA), certified by the Commissioner of the Oath, for all foreign qualifications (including grade 11/12 certificates). m)   Copy of a diploma on NQF level 6 for applicants applying with 22 points in 5 subjects intending to do a bachelor’s degree (local institutions only),  Certified by the Commissioner of Oath

5.2 Documents to be attached when applying for POSTGRADUATE studies’ financial assistance: a)    A copy of the Full birth certificate, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath; b)    A copy of a Namibian Identification (ID), Certified by the Commissioner of Oath; c)     A copy of Bachelor’s degree at least on NQF level 7, if studying towards an honors degree, or a copy of a master’s degree if studying towards a PhD, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath. If certificates are not issued by the Institution at the time of application, attach academic records, indicating the certificate has been obtained; d)    A copy of mother’s ID/ Death certificate, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath or a Declaration made with the Namibian Police made by any remaining parent/guardian; e)     A copy of father’s ID/ Death certificate, Certified by the Commissioner of Oath or a Declaration made with the Namibian Police made by any remaining parent/guardian; f)       In case the applicant is married, provide Spouse’s ID and payslip instead of parents; g)     A certified copy of your payslip or with the company stamp (if employed); h)     A copy of the evaluation from Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA), certified by the Namibian Police, for all foreign qualifications.

6. REQUIREMENTS FOR FUNDING: UNDERGRADUATE, VOCATIONAL AND POSTGRADUATE

6.1 REQUIREMENT FOR UNDERGRADUATE

• Undergraduate degree programmes at Local Institution

• Applicants should have obtained 25 points in Grade 11/12, in Five (5) subjects with a minimum of E symbol in English. English will form part of the five subjects to be counted; or
• Applicants should have obtained a Diploma at NQF Level 6 at an accredited Institution of Higher Learning provided the applicant has a minimum of 22 points in five subjects in Grade 11/12.

6.1.2 Undergraduate Studies at International Institutions

• Applicants should have obtained 35 points(in grade 11/12) in five subjects (including English) with an E in English to qualify for funding to study internationally for medicine and engineering.
• For other fields of study, applicants should have obtained 30 points(in grade 11/12) in five subjects (including English) with an E in English to qualify for funding.

6.1.3 Undergraduate Diploma Programmes at Local Institutions

• Applicants should have obtained 22 points in Grade 11/12, in Five (5) subjects with a minimum of F symbol in English. English will form part of the five subjects to be counted.

6.1.4 Undergraduate through Mature age (Applicable for Public Institutions only)

• must be 23 years of age and above;
• has a Grade 10 certificate, with five (5) years minimum working experience; or
• has a Grade 11/12 certificate with three (3) years minimum working experience;
• Has ability to top up should funding be insufficient for the intended course of study;
• Provide proof of admission on mature age level from the institution of higher learning including the mature age entry test results.

7. REQUIREMENTS FOR VET FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

7.1 Government or SOE owned VTCs

• Full-time/Part-time Applicants studying at approved Vocational Training Centres (Institutions registered under Vocational Education and Training Act, 2008 (Act No. 1 of 2008);
• Priority will be given to applicants studying priority fields of study as determined from time to time to qualify for funding; and

7.2 Privately owned VTCs

• Full-time/Part-time applicants studying at accredited and recognized VTC (Institutions registered under VET ACT 1 of 2008) and offer accredited qualifications;
• Obtain a minimum of 20 points in Grade 11/12 in six (6) subjects with a Symbol F in English;
• Obtained admission at an approved VTC in Namibia studying towards minimum NQF Level 1 and Maximum NQF Level 6 qualification;
• Priority will be given to Private VTC beneficiaries studying priority fields of study as determined from time to time to qualify for funding

7.3 International requirements for VET trainees

• Must have obtained 25 points in grade 11/12, in five subjects, with at least symbol F in English;
• Financial Assistance may be offered in the event of direct transfers from local to international VTC institutions if the programme or level is not offered in Namibia.
• Priority will be given to applicants studying abroad in priority fields of study if the programme/level is not offered in Namibia.

8. REQUIREMENT FOR POSTGRADUATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

• Applicants studying towards post-graduate Diploma/ Honours, Masters and PhD programmes or Research based postgraduate study;
• Applicants already have prior undergraduate qualifications (Bachelor degree level 7, Honours level 8, or Masters level 9), or have completed their studies but waiting for the graduation to be officially conferred;
• The applicant must have been admitted or enrolled to study on a full-time or part-time or distance mode at an approved local or internationalinstitution of higher education;
• Consideration will only be given to applicants studying towards priority fields of studies;
• Applicants should submit proof of provisional admission attached to their applications;
• Preference will be given to the students studying at Local Institutions and within SADC.