The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture has allocated N$66 million to the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) for the current quarter to support qualifying students under government’s subsidised tertiary education framework.
The announcement was made by Minister Sanet Steenkamp during the launch of the 2026 Namibia Students’ Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) online application system on 26 January 2026.
Steenkamp said other public and private tertiary institutions are also set to benefit, with allocations of up to N$25 million earmarked for eligible institutions as verification and claims processes continue.
Claims have already been submitted by several institutions, including the University of Namibia, Namcol and the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), as NSFAF processes payments across the sector.
“We have already received claims from the University of Namibia, Namcol and the NTA. NUST has received N$66 million in its account to support students, and Namcol has already received its allocation. Other institutions will receive up to N$25 million as the process continues,” Steenkamp said.
She said government is engaging with both public and private institutions to ensure that funding decisions are applied fairly and consistently.
Addressing stakeholders, Steenkamp said the objective of the subsidised education framework is to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent capable students from accessing tertiary education.
She said up to 134,000 Namibian students could benefit from the programme in its first year of implementation, subject to institutions meeting minimum quality and cost standards.
The subsidy applies only to first qualifications, including undergraduate programmes from National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels 5 to 8, such as diplomas, degrees and honours, as well as technical and vocational education and training (TVET) trades from NQF levels 1 to 6.
Government estimates are based on current enrolment figures at public and private institutions, as well as the number of students previously supported through state funding mechanisms. However, the final number of beneficiaries will depend on institutional compliance with quality and cost requirements rather than enrolment figures alone.
Steenkamp said government would adopt a phased approach to implementation to ensure financial sustainability and to avoid an oversupply of graduates in fields already experiencing labour market saturation.
