PRETORIA - At just 12,000, far fewer people than expected applied for missing middle NSFAS loans.
The financial aid scheme says more work may need to be done for people to understand this application.
Nearly 900,000 first-time university applications have been processed for the academic year.
Of this number, more than 600,000 qualify for assistance, while nearly 50,000 have been rejected.
A total of 545,952 returning students are seeking assistance.
In his state-of-readiness address in September last year, Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said 235,000 first-time spots would be available.
At present, universities can accommodate 1.1-million students.
One student body hopes students will look elsewhere to address the mismatch between applications and available university places for first-time entrants.
NSFAS has guaranteed that there is enough funding for the beginning of the academic year for successful applicants.
- eNCA's Hloni Mtimkulu reports.