Student Support Administrator

Responsibilities: 

• NSFAS Applications Support Job Specification & Recruiting Profile of Vacancy
• Educate students on NSFAS funding criteria, application timelines, and reapplication processes.
• Assist students with creating and managing their My NSFAS Student Profiles .

Online Application Assistance

• Guide and support students in completing online NSFAS applications, including document review and submission accuracy.
• Provide hands-on support in institution computer labs to complete online applications.
• Review all application supporting documents with students to ensure completeness and accuracy before submission. 

Outstanding Documents Management

• Advise students on how to review NSFAS requests for outstanding documents.
• Support students in uploading required documents to their NSFAS applications. 

Application Status Guidance 

• Address student queries on application statuses and next steps, clarifying actions needed by the student, institution, or NSFAS.
• Identify and escalate application system issues to the NSFAS ICT Service Desk; track resolution progress. 

Appeals Support

• Inform students about the appeals process including deadlines for new and continuing students.
• Assist rejected new student applicants with lodging appeals and uploading appropriate supporting documentation.
• Support continuing students in understanding, preparing, and lodging renewal appeals, including document requirements.
• Escalate any appeals system issues to the ICT Service Desk and ensure follow-up.

Funding Support

• Guide students to liaise with institution financial aid offices for allowance application processing.
• Assist students with queries related to funding status, registration issues, allowance types, duplicate registrations, and banking details submission.
• Support TVET students on bank detail entry in the NSFAS portal.
• Facilitate funding cancellation requests and resolve related documentation needs.
• Escalate unresolved funding issues to college financial aid officials and NSFAS Institutional Support Practitioners and follow through to resolution. 

Payments Support

• Extract and interpret payment reports to respond to students’ queries about tuition and allowance payments. 
• Escalate unresolved payment concerns to appropriate financial aid or NSFAS staff and ensure ongoing follow-up. 

Query Management 

• Conduct basic investigations of student queries and provide timely feedback.
• Escalate complex issues to NSFAS ICT Service Desk, Institutional Support Practitioners, or Accommodation Officials, tracking until resolution. 

Reporting

• Maintain weekly capturing of daily support activities.
• Keep a detailed register of student queries and feedback.
• Report institutional challenges, including student unrest or operational issues, to Institutional Support Practitioner

Minimum requirements:

• NQF Level 5 in Commercial / Business Management Studies; Public Administration
• 2 Minimum years relevant customer service / relationship management work experience
• Computer literacy – Intermediate MS Package Suite. 
• Skill and Competencies:
• Strong understanding of NSFAS applications and funding processes
• Proficiency in assisting students with online systems and digital document management
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for student engagement
• Ability to troubleshoot and escalate technical system issues effectively
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and reporting capabilities
• Capacity to manage multiple queries and follow-ups consistently
• Collaborative approach to working with institutional financial aid and NSFAS teams