STUDENTS CROWDFUND AS NSFAS FALLS SHORT

Young learners resort to selling food and online appeals to cover university registration and living costs.

- GENEVIEVE SERRA

R35 Roti and curry bunnies sales are what 19-year-old Amber Mentoor from Macassar will remember one day because it paid for her registration at the University of Cape Town as she faced an outstanding debt of R50000.

Mentoor is part of an overwhelming increase in students facing a crisis while awaiting funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) - many forced to take out loans or sell fast food and create a crowdfunding page via Backabuddy to pay outstanding debt.

This week, NSFAS announced its comprehensive preparations for the 2026 academic year, with a focus on disbursements and registration period support for all universities and TVET colleges.

NSFAS received a record 893 847 applications; of these, 593981 applications (66.45%) were submitted by female applicants, reflecting the ongoing trend of strong female participation in tertiary education. Male applicants accounted for 299866 applications (33.55%), said Dr Mugwena Maluleke, NSFAS Acting Board Chairperson.

"NSFAS is pleased to confirm that we have processed all 2026 funding applications prior to the start of the academic year, as committed to by December 31," he added.

The countless fast food sales at the hands of her 63-year-old grandmother, Jemima Cyster, is what Mentoor will remember when she completes her degree in Politics, Sociology, Quantitative Literacy, and Organisational Psychology.