South African students who plan to study at a university can apply for the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP) to receive student funding plus other forms of support.
The programme provides a kind of financial aid to students who meet its financial, academic and programme requirements and might not necessarily qualify for the public student-funding categories.
Applicants should review the ISFAP 2027 application requirements, universities and qualifications before submitting an application.
What is the ISFAP Student Grant?
The Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP) is a South African student-funding initiative that supports students at participating universities.
The programme covers not only tuition fees but also potentially a wide range of financial and non-financial support.
Depending on a student’s needs and funding package, the ISFAP student grant can cover:
University tuition fees
Accommodation
Meals or meal support
Learning materials or books
A living allowance
Tutorials
Mentoring
Psychosocial support
Life skills development
Other student support
The student support can differ considerably from one applicant to the next, so students should look at their own financial-assessment criteria rather than assuming everyone qualifies for the same funding package.
Who can apply for the ISFAP Student Grant?
The ISFAP student grant targets South African students who meet its financial and academic requirements.
Applicants typically need to:
Be citizens of South Africa.
Meet ISFAP’s financial requirements.
Meet ISFAP’s academic requirements.
Study at a participating university.
Choose from a supported qualification.
Demonstrate a willingness to complete their studies.
Meeting the above criteria does not guarantee funding, as applications are reviewed according to the programme’s requirements and funding availability.
Household income requirements
Family income is one factor in the financial-assessment criteria.
Current institutional information associated with ISFAP refers to applications from families with a household income below R600,000 a year, but the programme has historically focused on the so-called missing-middle group.
These are families whose income is typically too high to qualify for some forms of government student funding but not high enough to comfortably cover university fees and other costs.
Students should complete the official financial assessment criteria rather than making assumptions based on income information.
Which students and qualifications are supported?
ISFAP prioritises certain fields of study associated with Occupations of High Demand.
These can include:
Engineering
Medicine
Information technology
Data science
Accounting
Actuarial studies
Nursing
Other occupations of high demand
The fields of study differ from one university to the next, depending on the programme and funding at the time of application.
Students should double-check the official ISFAP application system about the qualifications they can choose before making any assumptions based on information from other sources.
Which universities participate?
ISFAP works with multiple South African universities.
The list of universities and supported programmes can change depending on the funding and the academic year.
Students should check the official application portal to see if the combination of university and qualification is available.
A student should not assume that any course at any participating university qualifies for ISFAP student funding.
What does the student grant cover?
The financial package can cover many of the expenses associated with a university education.
Tuition fees
Eligible students can receive funding for university tuition fees, depending on the requirements for their package.
Accommodation
Accommodation costs can also be covered, depending on the student’s eligibility and financial package.
Meals and living costs
Depending on a student’s financial package, they might also receive support for meals and other living costs.
Books and study materials
The student grant can cover books and other learning materials, depending on the package.
Academic support
ISFAP’s financial-aid model also covers academic support, including tutorials and other interventions to help students succeed.
Mentoring and personal support
Students can also receive mentoring, life skills development and psychosocial support.
The range of support options illustrates why the ISFAP student grant is not limited to covering tuition fees.
Documents students should prepare
Applicants need to prepare their documents before completing the online application.
Documents can include:
Applicant’s identification documents
Parents’ or guardians’ identification documents
Proof of household income
Required financial documents
Academic information
Other documents requested on the portal
The ISFAP application portal provides more information about the required documents.
Students should also make sure that documents comply with any certification requirements on the portal.
How to apply for the ISFAP Student Grant
The application process takes place online.
Step 1: Check your eligibility
Review the citizenship, financial, academic and programme requirements before proceeding.
Step 2: Check your university and course
Make sure that the intended university and course are supported by ISFAP.
Step 3: Prepare your documents
Gather your personal documents, financial information and academic records.
Step 4: Complete the online application
Carefully complete the application form and upload the required supporting documents.
Step 5: Submit the application
Submit the application before the closing date.
Step 6: Monitor your email
Complete the process using an email address that the applicant can monitor regularly.
2027 application closing date
The information provided about the 2027 intake has 31 October 2026 as the closing date for applications.
Applicants should always confirm the closing date with the official portal, however, since the date can vary from one academic year to the next.
Waiting until the last day can be risky if a document turns out to be missing or if a student discovers that the intended qualification is not supported.
Why the programme matters for students
University costs exceed tuition fees.
Students also need to cover accommodation, food, transport, books, learning equipment and other expenses.
For families that cannot afford these costs but who do not necessarily qualify for public student funding, the ISFAP student grant makes a considerable difference.
The ISFAP model recognises that some students who receive financial aid still face non-financial challenges at university, which is why the programme offers academic support as well as personal development and student support.
Student grant applicants should check the fine print
Students should be wary of relying on social media and other websites for information about the ISFAP student grant.
Requirements vary depending on the university, the qualification, the funder and the academic year.
Before submitting an application, students should confirm:
Whether their university participates.
Whether their qualification is supported.
Whether they meet the financial requirements.
What documents they need to submit.
Whether documents need to be certified.
The closing date for applications.
What costs the grant can cover.
Whether any funding has additional requirements.
Use the official application portal
Students need to submit their application using the official ISFAP application portal.
ISFAP Online Application Portal:
Applicants should be wary of websites and individuals that ask for payment before submitting an ISFAP application.
Students should also avoid submitting personal information, including identification documents or financial records, to unofficial sources.
ISFAP Student Grant 2027: Quick Facts
Detail Information
Programme Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme
Academic year 2027
Main purpose Financial and student support
Citizenship South African citizens
Financial assessment Household income and financial need
Income information Current institutional information refers to households below R600,000 annually
Study level Selected undergraduate and postgraduate programmes
Fields Selected high-demand occupations
Universities Participating institutions
Possible support Tuition, accommodation, meals, books, allowances and student support
Application Online
Stated closing date 31 October 2026
Official application ISFAP online application portal
Funding remains subject to the programme’s eligibility requirements, available funding and applicable conditions.
Important advice before applying
Students should retain copies of the documents they submit as part of the application.
They should also keep a record of:
The application reference number.
Uploaded documents.
The email address.
Application correspondence.
Any communication received from ISFAP.
If an applicant changes their contact details after submitting an application, they should follow the official procedure for changing the information.
Beware of false student grant information
Students who seek university funding should be wary of misleading information circulated online about application closing dates and amounts of funding.
A social media post stating that all successful applicants receive a specific amount of money does not necessarily align with the current funding requirements.
The best practice is always to confirm information with the ISFAP platform and the applicant’s university.
Students should also be wary of paying an individual who claims that they can guarantee ISFAP approval.
What happens after applying?
Submitting an application is not a guarantee that a student will receive funding.
The application needs to go through the appropriate approval process, and students might need to provide additional information, if requested.
Applicants should continue to monitor their communication channels after submitting an application.
Editorial Policy
Our education and student-funding articles are produced for South African readers using information from identifiable and, where possible, primary sources. We strive to provide clear explanations of opportunities without representing promotional material or unsubstantiated claims as facts.
Where programme requirements, funding amounts or closing dates can change, readers are encouraged to obtain the most current information from the organisation responsible for the programme.
Fact-Checking Policy
Information in this article has been verified against available official ISFAP information and relevant university sources. We make a distinction between confirmed programme information and general guidance and do not represent historical requirements as current requirements without verification.
Corrections Policy
If an error is identified, we will review the information against the relevant primary source. Material inaccuracies will be corrected when verified information is available.
Where a correction materially affects an important aspect of an article, the published information will be updated so readers can rely on the corrected version.
Disclaimer
This website is an independent information platform and is not affiliated with ISFAP, any university or any government department.
This article is provided for general educational purposes and does not guarantee that an applicant will receive student funding. Eligibility, supported courses, participating universities, funding packages and application deadlines may change.
Applicants should verify the latest information directly through the official ISFAP application system before providing personal information.
Sources and Verification
Primary information should be verified through:
ISFAP official website
ISFAP online application portal
Participating university websites
Relevant South African government and higher-education sources
The official app
