AFDA Bursaries Application 2025/2026 – NSFAS Financial Support

How to Apply For AFDA Bursaries

It is important for students to apply for bursaries, scholarships, and or loans before the closing date. Students are advised to plan for their studies prior to registering at the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (AFDA). Once a student is registered with the institution. it is advisable to always check his/ her emails for information about bursaries that have been advertised.

Applying for a loan, bursary or scholarship does not guarantee you will get it as we deal with a large number of students that exceed the funds that are available. Make sure you plan your finances well in advance.

Late and incomplete application forms will not be considered. Students are urged to attach all the necessary documents as stated in the application form.

TO APPLY; please consult with the Financial Aid/ Bursary office for further assistance. If a student has a bursary from outside, he/she must make sure that he/ she brings a copy of the letter to the Financial Aid/ Bursary office before registration.

Applicants are advised to send their applications directly to the organization offering bursary.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Bursary Applications 2025.

Application forms and information for NSFAS can be obtained from the official NSFAS Website.

The application forms must be accompanied by all stated supporting documents, eg, Certified ID copy of student/ applicant, Certified ID copies of both parents if one/both are deceased- certified death certificate, income statement/ payslip of both parents if they are working, if they are not working an affidavit stating they are not working, if they are getting a grant, a proof showing that, if the applicant has brothers and sisters, their certified ID/ birth certificates copies, if they are registered with other tertiary institutions, proof of that is also required. Original documents and copies must be taken to the nearest Police station/ local Post Office for the stamp.

Original documents are not accepted. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure that the application form is fully/ correctly completed.

On submission of NSFAS application form, the student will receive a receipt, which should be kept as a proof of application, without it, is your word against ours. Please present your slip at all times to the Financial Aid/Bursary Office.

First-Year students will only be given an application form for Financial Assistance upon providing the Financial Aid Office with a letter from the university indicating that the student has been either accepted or provisionally accepted for the 2025 academic year.

The value of the NSFAS award will only be credited to the student’s fee account in the third term, once all bursaries have been awarded and paid into the student’s account. This is to ensure that the loans granted are as low as possible.

Students receiving NSFAS loans will be required to complete an application form and a loan agreement before any payment will be effected.

The allocation received from NSFAS is limited and hence the Financial Aid Committee of the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (AFDA), who gives financial aid awards, must ensure that as many students are supported as possible while at the same time taking into account financial need.

Students are therefore advised that registering on the basis of receiving a full loan from NSFAS should not be considered and that a family contribution as determined by the Means Test may be required. It is also important to note that there are various different kinds of funding made available each year through NSFAS.

All students can apply for a loan from the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), a government loan scheme with the added incentive of a bursary conversion (max 40%) depending on academic performance. The parent’s/family’s contribution to the student’s study cost is called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and is calculated using the Government’s National Means Test.

• Prospective Students who wish to study at the College through NSFAS Bursary must APPLY ONLINE at http://www.nsfas.org.za
• Manual NSFAS applications will be facilitated but students must apply directly to NSFAS online!
• To enquire more about bursaries, contact/visit Student Support Offices at the Campuses

Important information

• Applicants applying online may not subsequently apply using a paper-based application
• Please note that receiving a student number (reference number) does not imply you are a registered student until you have officially registered.
• Please note that you will be required to come on campus to write the CAP Test. The test informs and educates students on a variety of career options. At the same time, it gauges the student’s personal interest in the different careers on offer.
• Incomplete applications may result in the delay of finalization of your application
• Continuation with a programme depends on sufficient numbers being enrolled
• Applicants must have a valid email address and mobile number in order to apply to the college. All Communication with regard to your application will be sent via email/ SMS.
• Meeting the minimum admission requirements for a specific programme does not necessarily guarantee admission to that particular programme