NSFAS Payment Dates 2026
Monthly allowance disbursement schedule for the 2026 academic year. University students are paid around the 30th of each month, TVET students around the 25th. The first semester ran through three initial cycles (11 February, 2 March, 7 April 2026).
| Month | University | TVET |
|---|---|---|
| January | - | - |
| February | 11 February 2026 (Cycle 1) | 13 February 2026 (Cycle 1) |
| March | 2 March 2026 | 25 March 2026 |
| April | 7 April 2026 | 25 April 2026 |
| May | 5 May 2026 | 25 May 2026 |
| June | 2 June 2026 | 25 June 2026 |
| July | 30 June 2026 (advance) | 25 July 2026 |
| August | 30 July 2026 (advance) / 31 August 2026 | 25 August 2026 |
| September | 30 September 2026 | 25 September 2026 |
| October | 30 September 2026 (advance) | 25 October 2026 |
| November | 30 October 2026 (advance) | 25 November 2026 |
| December | 30 November 2026 (advance) | 10 December 2026 |
Why payment dates vary
- Universities receive monthly allowances on or close to the 30th of each month after the institution has confirmed your registration. Universities like UKZN, UNISA and Wits may have small variations.
- TVET colleges are paid on the 25th of each month after initial 2026 disbursement cycles in February.
- Initial cycles (February to early April 2026) ran on a special schedule: Cycle 1 - 11 February, Cycle 2 - 2 March, Cycle 3 - 7 April. This was the registration-confirmation ramp-up.
- Wallet processing can add 24-72 hours between the NSFAS disbursement date and money actually appearing in your wallet (eZaga, Coinvest Mastercard, NSFAS Wallet).
What to do if your allowance is late
- Confirm your institution has reported your registration to NSFAS (institutional NSFAS office).
- Check your wallet provider directly (eZaga app, Coinvest Mastercard app, *134*176*ID# for legacy NSFAS Wallet).
- Log in to myNSFAS and check that your status shows Approved + Disbursement (not Pending or Awaiting Registration).
- If status shows Approved but no payment: allow 5 working days, then contact your institution's NSFAS office.
- If still no payment: lodge a query via myNSFAS or email info@nsfas.org.za with your reference number.
Pick a month
Related
Schedule based on NSFAS official announcements + institution-specific cycles. Individual institutions (UKZN, UNISA etc.) may run slightly different cycles - always confirm with your institution's financial aid office. Last verified 2026-05-14.