The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will increase students’ living allowances by 10% for the 2023 academic year.

The increase will be backdated to the beginning of the academic year, NSFAS spokesperson Maduvha Maseda said.

“This follows the minister of higher education, science and innovation Blade Nzimande’s concurrence with the proposal that was put before him a few weeks ago.”

Nzimande convened the consultations which included inputs from the South African Union of Students (SAUS).

“This is a significant development given the reality that in the past three years, no increment was made on student allowances. This is an effort not only to acknowledge the impact of inflation on students’ livelihood, but a contribution to ease the economic disadvantages suffered by students,” said Maseda.

The living and accommodation allowance had sparked student protests this month over the unaffordability of accommodation at campus residences.

Students from Wits University and the University of Johannesburg took to the streets in support of homeless students who apparently slept in libraries.

NSFAS had offered a R45,000 yearly accommodation allowance to their students, meaning a student had R4,500 per month over the ten-month academic year.

NSFAS will communicate with institutions in the coming week on the final dates the amendment will be implemented.

Source: TimesLIVE