The Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP) is inviting eligible South African students to apply for financial assistance and wraparound support towards their studies at participating South African universities.

ISFAP provides funding opportunities for students who meet its academic, financial and programme requirements, with funding focused on Occupations of High Demand (OHD) and other qualifications supported by its funding partners.

Bursary Provider

Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP)

Programme

ISFAP Bursary / Student Funding Programme

Study Levels

• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate — Honours and Master’s
• Doctoral/PhD equivalent qualifications are not funded through the postgraduate application portal.

Who Can Apply?

According to ISFAP’s current student information, applicants should:

• Be a South African citizen.
• Be enrolled or planning to enrol at an accredited South African university.
• Be pursuing a qualification in an Occupation of High Demand (OHD) or another programme supported by ISFAP/funding partners.
• Demonstrate financial need through means testing.
• Meet the required academic performance standards.
• Demonstrate commitment to completing their studies.

The application portal also states that funding availability depends on the requirements of ISFAP’s funding partners, including factors such as the university, qualification and other donor criteria. Therefore, submitting an application does not guarantee funding.

Occupations and Fields of Study

ISFAP’s current student information identifies the following Occupations of High Demand:

• Actuarial Science
• Accounting
• Data Science
• Engineering
• Information Technology
• Medicine
• Nursing
• Related fields

The live application portal provides a much broader list of university-specific programmes. Applicants therefore need to check whether their specific qualification at their selected university appears on the application portal before applying.

Universities

The current ISFAP application portal allows applicants to select from participating institutions, including universities such as:

• University of Pretoria
• University of the Free State
• University of Johannesburg
• University of the Witwatersrand
• Stellenbosch University
• University of KwaZulu-Natal
• University of Limpopo
• University of Venda
• University of Mpumalanga
• North-West University
• University of the Western Cape
• University of Fort Hare
• University of Zululand
• Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
• Durban University of Technology
• Mangosuthu University of Technology
• Cape Peninsula University of Technology
• Tshwane University of Technology
• Vaal University of Technology
• Central University of Technology
• Nelson Mandela University
• Rhodes University
• Sol Plaatje University
• Walter Sisulu University
• University of South Africa (UNISA)

The portal also includes Belgium Campus iTversity among its selectable institutions/programmes. Applicants should use the live portal to confirm whether their university and specific qualification are available for the funding cycle.

What Does ISFAP Funding Cover?

ISFAP describes its funding package as including financial assistance together with wraparound student support.

The current ISFAP student page says successful candidates can receive funding plus:

Financial support

Funding can include support for the student’s education and associated study costs, subject to the applicable funding package.

Academic support

• Tutoring
• Mentorship
• Study resources

Psychosocial support

• Professional psychosocial counselling

Career support

• Career guidance
• Workplace preparation
• Job placement assistance

Skills development

• Soft-skills workshops
• Leadership development
• Professional development

ISFAP’s current application portal also describes successful funding packages as potentially including tuition, accommodation, study material, a monthly stipend and meals, together with student support and an on-campus ISFAP programme manager. The exact package is dependent on the applicable funding arrangement.

Important: I would not advertise a fixed rand value on NextStepZA because the current official information does not provide one.

Financial Eligibility

ISFAP has historically focused strongly on students from the “missing middle” — households whose income is too high for some government funding but insufficient to comfortably cover university costs.

ISFAP’s published programme information has previously identified households with annual income between R350,000 and R600,000 as a key target group. It has also stated that some unfunded applicants with household income between R0 and R600,000 may be accommodated depending on funding availability.

However, because ISFAP’s current 2026/2027 portal describes financial need as being assessed through means testing and says donor criteria determine funding availability, I would phrase the NextStepZA requirement as:

Applicants must demonstrate financial need and undergo ISFAP’s means-testing process.

That is safer and more accurate than presenting R350,000–R600,000 as an absolute 2027 eligibility rule.

Required Documents

The current ISFAP application portal states that applicants must gather and certify their supporting documents before applying.

Undergraduate applicants

The portal identifies the following mandatory documentation:

• Certified copy of applicant’s ID
• Certified copies of parents’/guardians’/household contributors’ IDs
• Certified latest academic results
  • Grade 11 results or
  • Matric results, as applicable
• Signed consent form from the applicant and household contributors
• Consent form certified by a Commissioner of Oaths

ISFAP states that required documents must be certified within the last three months.

Postgraduate applicants

For postgraduate applications, the portal requires documentation including:

• Certified applicant ID
• Certified IDs of parents/guardians/household contributors
• Certified latest academic results, such as an undergraduate academic transcript
• Other supporting documents required during the application process

Again, the applicable documents must meet ISFAP’s certification requirements.

Document Certification Requirements

ISFAP’s current application portal states that documents should:

• Be certified by an authorised official, such as a Commissioner of Oaths, police officer or school principal.
• Be clear and legible.
• Include the certifier’s signature.
• Include the certification date.
• Include the official stamp.
• Have been certified within the last three months before submission.

Applicants should ensure that documents are properly certified before uploading them.

How the Application Process Works

Step 1: Submit Application

Complete the online ISFAP application and provide your academic and personal information.

Step 2: Means Testing

ISFAP assesses the applicant’s financial circumstances to determine financial need.

Step 3: Selection

Applications are assessed based on factors including:

• Academic achievement
• Financial need
• Career goals
• Funding availability
• Applicable donor criteria

Step 4: Funding & Support

Successful applicants receive the applicable funding package together with ISFAP’s wraparound student support.

Important: Funding Is Not Guaranteed

This is something I would make very clear in the NextStepZA article.

ISFAP says its funding is discretionary and is made possible through contributions from public- and private-sector donors. Applicants are added to a database and qualifying students are matched against donor and ISFAP criteria.

Therefore:

Submitting an application does not guarantee that you will receive funding.

Application Status

ISFAP encourages applicants to use the chatbot feature on the application website to monitor their application status.

Applicants should also keep checking their email because ISFAP uses the information supplied during the application process to communicate with applicants.

Closing Date

Closing date: Not specified on the current official ISFAP application portal.

The official portal currently encourages applicants to submit their completed applications as soon as possible rather than waiting until the deadline.

I would therefore not put a closing date on your NextStepZA listing unless ISFAP publishes one.

How to Apply

Applications are completed online through the official ISFAP application portal.

Official application portal:
Apply for ISFAP Funding

Applicants can begin the pre-application process by providing their:

• South African ID number
• Email address
• Preferred university
• Preferred programme

The portal then guides applicants through the application process.

ISFAP Contact Details

Telephone: 010 880 0400
WhatsApp: 072 617 8072
Email: info@isfap.org.za

ISFAP’s official contact page lists its operating hours as Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00.

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