Frequently Asked Questions

Who is ISFAP?

Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme Foundation NPC (ISFAP) is a non-profit company that was established as a support and funding model for financially needy students that fall under the categories of “Poor” and “Missing Middle” students.

How are the students selected? What are the qualifying criteria?

A household means test is done for all applying students
Academic criteria and registration, which vary per institution but will include:
Matric results
Funder constraints (that meet individual funder objectives) which will be applied to students applying

How do students apply?

Students can apply online at https://applyonline.isfap.org.za

What is the cost of funding per student?

The cost of funding varies based on the university and programme being funded. Specifically, ISFAP primarily supports the full cost of study, which is estimated at R190,448 for the 2024 academic year. This estimate applies to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes. (Value based on funding of over 2900 students across multiple universities and courses)

What does the full cost of study mean/entail?

The full of cost of study is broken down into the following:

Tuition fees;
Accommodation;
Food;
Laptop;
Textbook Allowance;
Living allowance / pocket money;
Non-academic student support (project manager; tutorial support; life support; admin support; life skills training; staff mentors).

How does funding work?

Each student that gets selected for ISFAP funding will receive enough funding to cover all tuition costs as well as accommodation and travel (if the student does not have accommodation), books, meals, and a stipend (living allowance). This is through a fully funded grant with no requirement to pay back any money. In addition, ISFAP provides students with academic support, social support, life skills training, and medical support when required.

Where does ISFAP get its funds from?

ISFAP raises its funding to support South African youth from various organisations, including but not limited to:

Companies in the Private Sector (Skills development, BBBEE, CSI, Tax, Bursary management services);
Government institutions, including SETAs;
International corporations;
Foundations;
Non-profit organisations;
Development finance institutions;
Private individuals;
Local and international donors.

What is the "Missing middle"?

“Poor” and “Missing Middle” students are defined based on the household income of the applying student. The household income bands that qualify under “Poor” and “Missing Middle” are:
Poor: R0 - R350 000
Missing Middle: R350 001 - R600 000

Why was ISFAP created?

In 2016 the then Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr. Blade Nzimande appointed Mr. Sizwe Nxasana to lead a Ministerial Task Team (MTT) to explore various options for funding the “poor” and “missing middle“ students who require financial assistance in order to succeed in tertiary education programmes. The MTT report that came out of this process proposed a model that brings together the Public and Private sectors together through a partnership to enable this objective.

A pilot programme was created to test aspects of this model and ran concurrently with a comprehensive feasibility study in line with Treasury Regulations to confirm student financing needs and review the proposed solution (which incorporated public comments). The pilot ended in 2018 with ISFAP being registered as a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO).

Which tertiary institutions has ISFAP partnered?

ISFAP has partnered with the following public universities/institutions and has representation in all these institutions:

Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Central University of Technology
Durban University of Technology
Mangosuthu University of Technology
Nelson Mandela University
North West University
Rhodes University
Sefako Makgatho University
Sol Plaatje University
Stellenbosch University
Tshwane University of Technology
University of Cape Town
University of Fort Hare
University of the Free State
University of Johannesburg
University of Kwazulu-natal
University of Limpopo
University of Mpumalanga
University of South Africa
University of Venda
University of Zululand
University of Pretoria
University of Western Cape
Vaal University of Technology
University of the Witwatersrand
Walter Sisulu University

Why are these specific areas of study chosen?

The programmes selected include occupations of high demand or scarce skills that have been identified as critical to South Africa’s economic development.

The programme, through providing full funding for students, contributes to improving the employment prospects of graduates, while simultaneously creating a highly qualified and sustainable pipeline for these professions that our country so desperately needs.

What role does ISFAP play in addressing higher education imperatives in the country?

ISFAP plays a huge role in solving the funding challenges faced by “poor” and “missing middle” students, as well as in addressing other challenges which South Africa faces, such as graduate employability.

Through innovative partnerships with both the private and public sectors, ISFAP is a prime example of the positive work that can be done when the private and public sector work together to tackle the country’s challenges.

What areas of study does ISFAP fund?

Cape Peninsula University of Technology