During the COVID lockdown in 2020, NSFAS set up a communication service for students called NSFAS Connect. This has now been replaced with NSFAS Chat.
What is NSFAS Chat?
NSFAS Chat is a new communication channel set up to simplify your customer service experience with NSFAS.
At the moment, it is primarily to assist students with requests to reset their NSFAS Wallets. It replaces the [email protected] and NSFAS Connect channels previously used for this purpose.
At the same time, new email addresses have been set up to assist with other NSFAS Wallet queries.
The New Ways to Reset, Unlock and Unblock Your NSFAS Wallet
If you use any of the contact emails, please remember to provide the following information in your email:
- Your ID Number
- Your full names and surname
- Your cell phone number and email address
- Your physical and/or postal address
- A full description of your query
For unlocking and unblocking requests, please also attach a clear copy of your ID.
For reset requests via the Chat channel, you will need to provide a clear copy of your ID and your cell phone number and email address.
How to use NSFAS Chat to reset your NSFAS Wallet
Changing your cell phone is the most common reason for having to reset your NSFAS Wallet.
Take the following steps to reset your NSFAS Wallet on NSFAS Chat:
- Log into the NSFAS website at www.nsfas.org.za and click on myNSFAS, OR
- Go directly to the self-service portal for myNSFAS
- Enter your email address and password to sign in to your account.
- Click on NSFAS Chat.
- You will be connected to a customer service agent who will help you with your query.
The agent will ask you to provide a clear copy of your ID and your cell phone number and email address, so take a photo of your ID and be ready to upload it and provide the other details.
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- The agent will send a one-time pin (OTP) to your cell number. Read the number back so that your details can be verified.
- You will then receive an SMS message from your NSFAS Wallet account.
- Follow the prompts to reset your Wallet.
This service is available from Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 17:00. Outside of these hours, you can leave a message with your name and contact details.
Some hints to help you get faster responses from NSFAS
There are some practical things that you can do to ensure that your request is dealt with as speedily as possible.
- Include all of the information in the list above and a clear copy of your ID where required.
- Make sure you have read the message on your account carefully – has your phone been locked or blocked? Then you can send the query to the correct email.
- Give a clear description of the problem you are having. For example
- Your account will usually be locked if you entered the wrong password three times. This is to prevent fraudsters from trying to access your funds. If you know that you were the person entering the incorrect password, explain that in your email.
- Your account may be blocked because of unusual activity on your account. This might have been you. If so, explain what you were doing and why there was a different pattern of activity. If you have not done anything unusual, ask NSFAS to explain why they blocked the account and what you should do to get it unblocked.
- Your account may need to be reset because you changed your cell phone number. In that case, provide both the previous number and the new number. Also remember to update your cell phone number and email address on the personal details section of your myNSFAS account – you’ll be sent a one-time-pin (OTP) to the new device or address so that you can confirm the changes.
- Be patient. NSFAS deals with hundreds of thousands of students, and it might take some time to get to your query.
- Be polite. If you have not had a response after about a week, make an inquiry on one of the other communication channels. Being frustrated and upset with the NSFAS agents won’t make them work any faster on your behalf.
