The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will on Thursday brief media on the outcomes of its applications for funding. Applications closed on November 30.

The process which students who received funding would need to follow next year would also be outlined, the NSFAS said in a statement.

Higher Education Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana said on November 16 that not enough prospective students were applying for funding, which was worrying.

If the number of students who had applied by November 30 was not at the desired level, the organisation, with help from the department, would have to make a plan, Manana said at the time.

The processing of new applications for 2017 was delayed at some institutions due to student protests, but all universities had indicated that they would be processed.

The department was setting up meetings with university registrars and finance executives in December to discuss finalising the 2016 academic year, fees for 2017, NSFAS student support, security on campuses, and applications for gap-year funding.

The 2016 academic year was disrupted by student protests after Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced in September that universities could decide their own fee increases for 2017, up to a maximum of 8%.