South African students in the so-called ‘missing-middle’ category, earning more than enough to qualify for NSFAS funding but too little to be able to cover the costs of university, have until 31 October 2026 to apply for bursaries with the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP).
The bursary is designed to support students at public universities who are in the income group that traditionally does not qualify for state financial aid.
Students can receive financial support as well as academic and personal support to help them complete their studies.
Who qualifies for the ISFAP bursary?
ISFAP offers financial support to South African citizens who live in households with an income of up to R600 000 per year, subject to programme requirements.
Applicants must also be studying or applying to study an approved qualification at one of ISFAP’s partner public universities.
Students should bear in mind that ISFAP has additional academic, programme and institutional requirements beyond the household-income criterion and should review the current requirements before applying.
What fields of study qualify for the ISFAP bursary?
ISFAP primarily focuses on supporting students in fields of study that are likely to have a high impact on South Africa’s economy.
These fields of study include:
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Engineering
Health Sciences
Commerce
Information Technology
Education
Law
Social Sciences
The qualifying programmes can vary, so students should confirm that their intended qualification is approved on the current ISFAP application portal.
What does ISFAP cover?
ISFAP goes beyond a normal bursary by providing financial support that goes beyond just tuition fees.
Depending on the approved funding package, students can receive support for:
- University tuition
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Learning materials
- Monthly living allowance
The additional forms of financial support are important because the total cost of completing a degree can be significantly higher than just the tuition fees.
Many students who study away from home have to cover the costs of accommodation, food, transport and learning materials while completing their university studies.
ISFAP offers academic and personal support
Academic and personal support, such as mentoring, tutoring and academic coaching, is available to bursary recipients.
This is a key difference between a bursary and a loan: ISFAP recipients can receive additional support to help them balance their studies with the financial pressures they may be facing.
When does the ISFAP application close?
The deadline for applications is:
31 October 2026
Students should leave plenty of time before the deadline to submit their application, particularly if any supporting documents need to be obtained or corrected.
Where do students apply?
Applications are submitted online via the ISFAP application website:
applyonline.isfap.org.za
Applicants should use the ISFAP portal rather than following links in unofficial social media posts and should ensure that they are submitting their application through the ISFAP portal for the correct academic year and that their intended university and qualification are approved.
What is the missing-middle category?
South Africa’s financial-aid system does not have a simple binary of students who can afford university and those who cannot.
Some students fall into the income category where they do not qualify for financial aid but still cannot afford the costs of university.
Programmes such as ISFAP aim to ensure that no student falls through the cracks by providing financial and non-financial support to students who qualify for the bursary.
What should applicants check?
Applicants should take note of some key factors when making a bursary application.
1. Household income
Ensure that your household income falls within the ISFAP income criteria.
2. Citizenship
Confirm the citizenship requirements and ensure that you have the necessary supporting documents to hand.
3. University
Make sure that the intended university is one of the ISFAP partner universities.
4. Qualification
Not all qualifications are covered by the various bursary programmes, so ensure that the intended programme is one that ISFAP will fund.
5. Supporting documents
Prepare the documents required in the application and ensure that all information is correct and consistent.
6. Closing date
Ensure that applications are submitted by 31 October 2026 for the current application cycle.
ISFAP versus NSFAS
Students should also understand that ISFAP and NSFAS are separate bursary programmes.
Lying outside of the NSFAS criteria does not automatically mean that a student will qualify for ISFAP funding and meeting the ISFAP household-income requirement does not guarantee funding, since both programmes have their own eligibility requirements, partner universities and application processes.
Students should evaluate both programmes against their current official criteria, rather than making incorrect assumptions about the eligibility requirements of one based on the other.
What do applicants need to do?
Students who believe that they fall into the missing-middle group should take advantage of the application window to confirm their eligibility for ISFAP and prepare the information that they need to apply.
The key pieces of information to confirm are the household-income requirement, university, qualification and supporting documents for the ISFAP application.
Because bursary requirements change from year to year, applicants should not rely on older articles or social media posts, including those that appear to be official, but should use the current ISFAP application portal.
At a glance
| Detail | Information |
| — | — |
| Programme | ISFAP Bursary |
| Target applicants | South African students in the missing-middle income group |
| Household income | Up to R600 000 per year, subject to programme requirements |
| Institution | Participating public universities |
| Study areas | Includes Engineering, Health Sciences, Commerce, IT, Education, Law and Social Sciences |
| Support | Tuition, accommodation, meals, learning materials and living allowance, subject to the approved funding package |
| Additional support | Mentorship, tutoring and academic coaching |
| Closing date | 31 October 2026 |
| Application | ISFAP online application platform |
Editorial note
This article is intended to provide information about ISFAP’s bursary and the university-financing situation for South Africa’s missing-middle group. Eligibility and funding are determined by ISFAP in line with its current programme requirements.
Applicants should refer directly to the official ISFAP application portal to confirm the latest information before submitting an application.
Source and verification
The information in this article is based on the ISFAP bursary information provided for the 2027 application cycle. The application deadline, eligibility criteria, participating institutions, approved programmes and funding benefits should be verified against ISFAP’s current official application information since programme conditions can change.
Corrections policy
If a factual error is identified, the article will be reviewed against the relevant primary source and corrected where necessary. Material factual corrections will be clearly reflected in the article so that readers are not left with outdated information.
Disclaimer
This article does not guarantee that an applicant will receive ISFAP funding. Meeting an advertised income or academic requirement does not necessarily entitle an applicant to funding. Applicants should read the official programme requirements carefully and submit information accurately.
Editorial policy
Our education and bursary coverage aims to provide practical information using official programme announcements and primary sources wherever possible. We distinguish between confirmed programme requirements and general guidance, and avoid publishing unverified claims as facts. The purpose of the article is to provide an understanding of an opportunity and help the reader reach their own application decisions.
