Does NSFAS pay through Fundi? NSFAS allowances will be paid in cash to the student via the Fundi system. Once the allowances are debited to your student class fee account, you will receive an SMS message from Fundi to upload your banking details. Fundi will confirm your banking details and payment will follow.If you are looking to fund your tertiary education in South Africa, both NSFAS and Fundi are exceptionally common ways to get financial assistance. However, the two programs work significantly differently, and you should carefully evaluate which suits you best. Here’s everything you should know about both institutions to make the right decision. While there is some confusion because NSFAS uses the Fundi system to help them disburse your payments, they are not the same thing. Both provide financial assistance to students in South Africa, but they are different entities and work differently. NSFAS is a government-funded financial aid scheme in South Africa. It provides financial support to academically deserving students from disadvantaged backgrounds who cannot afford to pay for their tertiary education. NSFAS offers a bursary to cover tuition fees, accommodation, and study materials, as well as a living stipend. NSFAS does not offer loans but rather a bursary that does not need to be paid back. NSFAS will only fund your first tertiary education qualification and no longer cover post-graduate programs. They also have strict eligibility criteria you must meet to be funded.Fundi, on the other hand, is a financial services provider in South Africa that specializes in providing student loans and other financial products to assist students in funding their education. You may remember them as Eduloan. Fundi is a private company and operates independently of the government. Unlike NSFAS, Fundi offers financial products and services beyond student loans. Additionally, you should realize that these are loans, not bursaries. Fundi’s loans have interest rates and repayment terms you will need to agree to. However, anyone can apply for Fundi funding, not just underprivileged students.