NSFAS applications for 2027 close on 31 October 2026.
If you're weighing full-time study against a paid learnership, here's how the two compare on money, time and what you finish with, and how to keep both doors open.
If you finished school and you're deciding what next year looks like, two very different doors are open right now. One is **NSFAS**: government funding for full-time study at a public university or TVET college, with applications for 2027 closing on **31 October 2026**. The other is a **learnership**: a paid, structured programme where you work and study at the same time and finish with a registered qualification. Plenty of young people assume they have to pick one forever. You don't. But you do have to decide what to do *this month*, because one of the doors has a date on it. > **Key facts (as at 12 October 2026)** > - **NSFAS applications for 2027 close on 31 October 2026**, and NSFAS has said there will be no extension (NSFAS statement, 22 September 2026). > - NSFAS funds **full-time study at public universities and TVET colleges**, not learnerships. Learnerships are funded by employers and the SETAs (NSFAS; Skills Development Act 97 of 1998). > - NSFAS eligibility is tested on **household income**. The published threshold in recent cycles has been **R350,000 a year** (R600,000 for applicants with a disability). Check the current figure on [nsfas.org.za](https://www.nsfas.org.za/) before you apply. > - On most Mogapi learnerships you're paid at least the **National Minimum Wage, R30.23 an hour from 1 March 2026**; some SETA-funded learnerships start on about **R2,500 a month** (Mogapi Education, figures checked August 2026). > - A learnership ends in a qualification registered on the **National Qualifications Framework**, plus about a year of work experience (SETA learnership regulations). What we'll cover: - What each option actually gives you - The two side by side - A worked example: one year, two paths - How to keep both doors open - Frequently asked questions ## What Each Option Actually Gives You **NSFAS** is a bursary scheme run by the Department of Higher Education and Training. If you qualify, it covers your tuition and registration at a public university or TVET college and pays allowances for things like accommodation, food and learning materials, according to its own rules for each kind of institution. You study full-time and you are not earning a salary. The qualification at the end is a university degree or diploma, or a TVET college certificate or diploma, depending on what you enrol for. You apply through the **myNSFAS** portal, and the 2027 window closes on 31 October 2026. A **learnership** is a job and a course at the same time. You sign a learnership agreement with an employer and an accredited training provider, spend part of the week in a workplace and part in training, and you're paid a stipend or wage every month. At the end you hold an **occupational qualification** registered on the NQF, and you have a year of real work behind you. Learnerships are funded by the employer, often with SETA discretionary-grant money, which is why they open and close on the employer's timetable rather than on one national date. > Neither option is the "lesser" one. NSFAS buys you time to study. A learnership pays you to learn while you work. Which is better depends on what you need most in 2027: a qualification you can only get at a university or college, or income and experience now. ## The Two Side by Side | | NSFAS-funded study | Learnership | |---|---|---| | **What you finish with** | A university or TVET qualification | An NQF-registered occupational qualification plus about a year's work experience | | **Money while you do it** | Tuition and allowances paid for you; no salary | A monthly stipend or wage; on most Mogapi learnerships at least the National Minimum Wage | | **Who qualifies** | South African citizens and permanent residents whose household income is under NSFAS's threshold, with a place at a public institution | Set per programme; many need matric, some don't; usually aged 18 to 35 and unemployed | | **How long** | The length of the course, usually one to four years | Usually about 12 months | | **When to apply** | **By 31 October 2026** for 2027 | When an employer or provider advertises an intake, through the year | | **Who pays** | Government, through NSFAS | The employer, often with SETA funding | Details differ between institutions and programmes, so always check the actual opportunity before you count on it. ## A Worked Example: One Year, Two Paths Take Sipho (an illustrative learner), 20, with a matric that didn't earn a bachelor's pass. He wants to work in IT. **Path 1, NSFAS and a TVET college.** Sipho applies to NSFAS by 31 October and to a TVET college for an IT-related programme. If both come through, his 2027 is a year of full-time study with his fees and allowances covered. He earns no salary, and the allowances are set by NSFAS's rules, not by him. At the end of the first year he has credits toward a college qualification and no work record yet. **Path 2, a learnership.** Sipho applies to an advertised learnership for a qualification such as **Computer Technician (NQF...