4 March 2026

Special Student Support Fund - frequently asked questions

Dear NWU student

The purpose of the Special Student Support Fund is to enable students to register and to continue with their studies.

Important: You have until Wednesday, 11 March 2026 to submit an application.

Please find the most frequently asked questions with regard to this fund below.

1. Who qualifies for the Special Student Support Bursary?

The following categories of students may apply:

  • Students who want to register for an honours or master's degree in 2026, who have performed well academically during their undergraduate years of study but could not receive merit awards due to NSFAS rules.
  • NSFAS students who have exceeded the n+1 rule but have fewer than three modules left to complete their qualifications.
  • Final-year students with fewer than three modules remaining to complete their studies.
  • Missing-middle students with a combined household income of less than R600 000 per year.
  • Master's and doctoral students.
2. What are the minimum requirements?
  • Students must have completed their undergraduate qualification within the minimum prescribed duration.
  • Priority will be given to:
    • Postgraduate students who already qualified for NWU Standard Bursaries but have outstanding debt.
    • Unregistered students - undergraduate and honours students will first be verified by the respective faculties to confirm class attendance.
    • Academically performing students.
  • Take note:
    • Each application is considered on merit to prevent students from accumulating additional debt.
    • Due to high demand, a maximum of R5 000 will be covered for outstanding debt. However a feasible payment arrangement, leadership honorarium, student assistance work, etc. will be considered as part of the down payment on the debt.
3. How do I apply?

Please send an email with the subject line: STUDENT SUPPORT BURSARY - [Student Number] to the relevant campus email below:

Mahikeng Campus: MC-PostGradBurs@nwu.ac.za
Potchefstroom Campus: PC-Studyfees@nwu.ac.za
Vanderbijlpark Campus: VC-PostGradBurs@nwu.ac.za

4. What does the bursary cover?
  • The maximum allocation is R50 000 per student.
  • Depending on a student's financial need, the bursary may cover:
    • Registration fees
    • Tuition fees

Thank you

Student Finances and Financial Related Systems

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