The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has assured students they will start receiving their allowances from Friday. 

NSFAS came under fire from many students and student unions this week, who called on it  to start paying out allowances to struggling students. Many universities shut down campuses due to student protests over unpaid study materials and meal allowances.  

will start processing payments to institutions and paying student allowances on Friday.

It said it received the first portion of its budgetary allocation for the first quarter of the financial year.

“NSFAS can confirm that it has since received the first tranche of its budgetary allocation for the first quarter of the financial year. The scheme will thus be able to start processing payments to institutions and paying student allowances from Friday,” said NSFAS.

The financial aid scheme said an official communication has been sent to all institutions on the allowance payment process. 

“The institutions that have complied with the 2022 approved NSFAS eligibility criteria and conditions for financial aid will receive payment. The communique from NSFAS further requests institutions to abide by the funding rules set out in the criteria and conditions for financial aid when disbursing funding to students,” it said.