Most commonThey ask for money
A "processing fee", "admin fee" or payment to check your status or secure a place.
"Pay R300 and I'll make sure you get approved."
Home / Fraud prevention
For applicants, students & stakeholders
Protect your funding. Protect your future.
Scammers target students every application season, posing as NSFAS staff, "agents" and helpers. Learn the warning signs, keep your myNSFAS account and allowances locked down, and report anything suspicious. NSFAS has zero tolerance for fraud and corruption.
Scams aimed at students
How scammers try to reach you
If you see any of these, stop. Don't pay, don't share, don't click.
Most common
They want your login
Calls or messages asking for your myNSFAS username, password or one-time PIN (OTP).
"Send me the OTP so I can fix your profile."
Fake links & look-alike pages
Websites and social pages that copy the NSFAS name and logo to collect your details or card number.
"Apply here: nsfas-apply2027.co.za"
Also watch for
"NSFAS" groups
WhatsApp, Telegram or Facebook groups claiming to help with applications or allowances.
Pressure & threats
Warnings that you'll lose funding "today" unless you pay or share details right now.
Document requests
Someone off-platform asking for your ID copy, bank statements or consent forms.
Your allowances & myNSFAS account
Protect your allowances. Your portal is yours alone.
Your myNSFAS account controls your funding status, your personal details and where your allowances are paid. Anyone who gets into it can redirect your money. Access to your own portal is always free, and no one else ever needs it.
Never pay anyone
No one charges for your myNSFAS access.
If someone demands money to get into, fix or unlock your portal or allowance, it is a scam. Refuse and report it.
"R150 to unlock"Unlocking or activating your accountYou can reset your own password on the myNSFAS login page for free."Pay to release"Releasing or "fast-tracking" allowancesAllowances are paid on the official schedule. No fee can speed them up."I'll boost it"Increasing your allowance amountAllowance amounts are set by NSFAS rules. No one can raise yours for a fee."Give me access""Checking" or "managing" your portal for youAgents, landlords, runners or friends never need your login."Send your OTP"Changing your bank or payment detailsOnly you should update these, from your own account.
Nobody from NSFAS will ever ask for your password, PIN or OTP.
Keep your login to yourself
Use a strong password you don't use anywhere else. Never share your password, PIN or OTP, even with family, SRC members or accommodation providers.
Protect your cellphone number and email
They're how NSFAS reaches you and how passwords are reset. Update them only on myNSFAS, and tell your network provider immediately if your SIM stops working unexpectedly.
Guard your payment account
Your allowances should only go to an account in your own name. Never hand over your bank card, PIN or payment app login, and never "sell" or "lend" your allowance to someone for cash.
Check your account regularly
Log in to myNSFAS and your payment account often. Look for changes you didn't make to your details, bank information or payments, and act immediately if you find any.
Log out on shared devices
Always log out of myNSFAS on shared phones, library or internet café computers, and never let a browser save your password there.
Allowance late, missing or changed?
- Log in to myNSFAS yourself and check your funding status and details.
- Check with your institution's financial aid office.
- Contact the NSFAS contact centre on 08000 67327.
- If someone has accessed your account, change your password and report it straight away.
Integrity
Honest applications protect funding for everyone
NSFAS funding is public money meant for students who qualify. Fraud against the scheme, whether by outsiders, applicants or officials, takes that funding away from someone who needs it.
Fraud has consequencesOffences may result in criminal prosecution.
Your responsibility
- Act with integrity and honesty
- Be truthful when submitting your funding application
- Be truthful about your parents' status and household income
- Help safeguard government funding
- Report suspicious activity promptly
Red flags to report
- Falsified documents
- Undisclosed conflicts of interest
- Gifts or favours influencing decisions
- Bypassing approved processes
Stay safe
Simple habits that keep your account secure
✓ Do
- Apply only through official channelsUse the myNSFAS portal or the official NSFAS app.
- Log out after every sessionEspecially on shared phones or public computers.
- Follow NSFAS's official processIf myNSFAS gives you trouble, use the published support channels.
- Double-check the web addressOfficial pages end in nsfas.org.za.
- Report anything suspiciousTo NSFAS Speakup, the Hawks anti-corruption line or SAPS.
✕ Don't
- Pay anyone to apply or follow upEven if they say they work for NSFAS.
- Share your login details or OTPNot with staff, SRC members, classmates or lecturers.
- Click links from unofficial pagesOr join groups that copy the NSFAS profile.
- Enter personal info on look-alike sitesYour ID and bank details are what scammers want.
- Let someone apply on your behalfKeep control of your own application.
Quick check
Got a suspicious message? Check it in 20 seconds.
If even one answer is "Yes", treat it as a scam.
nsfas.org.zaOfficial website
my.nsfas.org.zamyNSFAS portal
@myNSFASVerified social pages
Scammers count on you not checking.
Are they asking you to pay to access your portal or allowance?
Do they want your password, PIN or OTP?
Is the link on a site other than nsfas.org.za?
Are they rushing or threatening you?
Did it come from a group or personal number?
Answer the questions aboveYour result will appear here.
See something? Say something
Report fraud and corruption
Report scams, bribery or any unethical conduct involving NSFAS funding. You can report to NSFAS directly, to the Hawks (the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation), or to the National Anti-Corruption Hotline.
Confidential
You can report safely
Reports to the Hawks and the National Anti-Corruption Hotline are handled outside NSFAS and kept confidential. Whistle-blowers are protected under the Protected Disclosures Act.
SAPS Crime Stop
08600 10111
Lost money or personal information? Open a case at your nearest police station and keep your case number.
For genuine application and account queries, contact the NSFAS contact centre on 08000 67327.
Stop
Don't pay, reply, or click any further links.
Think
Does this follow the official NSFAS process? Save screenshots and numbers.
Report
Contact Speakup, the Hawks or SAPS using the details above.
Protect
Change your myNSFAS password and warn your classmates.
Awareness campaign
Spread the word on campus
The Fraud & Corruption Awareness poster sums up this page on one sheet. Put it up where students make funding decisions.
- Residence and campus notice boards
- Financial aid and SRC offices
- TVET college student support centres
- Class and residence WhatsApp groups
Institutions can request print-ready copies from NSFAS Communications.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does NSFAS ever charge an application fee?
No. Applying for NSFAS funding is completely free, and so is checking your status or submitting an appeal. Anyone who asks you for money is not acting for NSFAS.
Someone says they work for NSFAS and can speed up my application. Is that real?
No. Applications are processed through the official system and can't be fast-tracked for a fee or a favour. Report the person to Speakup@nsfas.org.za or the Hawks on 012 846 4590.
What happens if I give false information on my application?
Submitting falsified documents or false information about your household income or your parents' status is fraud. NSFAS has zero tolerance for fraud, and it may result in criminal prosecution.
Someone says they can unlock my myNSFAS account or release my allowance for a fee. Should I pay?
No. Never pay anyone to access your myNSFAS portal or to release, speed up or increase your allowances. You can reset your own password for free on the myNSFAS login page, and allowances are paid on the official schedule. Report the person to Speakup@nsfas.org.za or the Hawks on 012 846 4590.
My landlord or accommodation provider wants my myNSFAS login. Is that allowed?
No. Accommodation providers, agents and "runners" never need your myNSFAS login or OTP. Refuse, and report anyone who insists or makes your accommodation conditional on it.
Someone offered to buy my allowance or give me cash in advance. Is it safe?
No. Selling or "lending" your allowance, or handing over your bank card or PIN, puts your funding at risk and is often a scam. Your allowances are for your own study and living costs.
I already shared my myNSFAS password. What should I do?
Change your password immediately, check your profile and banking details for changes, and report what happened to Speakup@nsfas.org.za and the NSFAS contact centre.
I paid a scammer. Can I get my money back?
Open a case at your nearest SAPS station as soon as possible and contact your bank. Keep proof of payment and all messages. Report it to NSFAS too so others can be warned.
Can I report an NSFAS employee or an institution official?
Yes. Report bribery, favours, conflicts of interest or anyone bypassing approved processes to Speakup@nsfas.org.za or the Hawks on 012 846 4590.
How do I know a social media page is official?
Official NSFAS accounts link back to nsfas.org.za and are verified. NSFAS does not run WhatsApp or Telegram "help groups" for applications.