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South African universities 2026: how to apply

All 26 public universities, every major application portal, APS calculation, NSFAS and missing-middle loan, plus 2026 dates for 2027 admission.

Updated 17 May 2026 ·By GoCareers

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Total public unis: 26
CAO members (KZN): UKZN, DUT, MUT, Unizulu
NSFAS income cap: R350,000 household
Missing middle loan: R350,001-R600,000
Typical app fee: R100-R500 (free at UJ)
2026 cycle for: 2027 academic year

Who can apply

Matric (NSC) or equivalent qualification at the appropriate APS level for each programme
South African citizens, permanent residents, and international students (different fees apply)
NSFAS funding: SA citizens / permanent residents with household income ≤ R350,000 (R600,000 with disability)
Missing middle loan (CSFM): household R350,001-R600,000
Subject-specific minimums per faculty (Maths for engineering and commerce; Life Sciences for medicine; etc.)
Some programmes require additional tests (NBT, IQT)

What you'll need

Certified copy of South African ID (passport for international applicants)
Certified copy of Matric certificate or latest Grade 12 results
Grade 11 final results (for current matriculants)
Proof of payment of application fee (or proof of exemption)
NBT results (for UCT and some Health Sciences programmes)
Portfolio (for Art, Design, Architecture)
Audition recording (for Music, Drama)
All certifications usually need to be ≤ 3 months old

Step by step

Calculate your APS

Convert each NSC subject percentage to a level: 80%+ = 7; 70-79 = 6; 60-69 = 5; 50-59 = 4; 40-49 = 3; 30-39 = 2; under 30 = 1. Sum your best 6 subjects excluding Life Orientation. Maximum = 42. UCT uses its own 600-point FPS (Faculty Points Score) including NBT; Wits uses a 54-point composite; Stellenbosch uses average percentages.

Tip: Most universities require Maths or Maths Literacy at Level 4+ (50%+). Specific faculties (Engineering, Medicine, Commerce) require pure Maths at Level 5-6+.
Shortlist 3-6 universities

Cover both reach (top universities at your APS) and safety (universities and UoTs with lower APS thresholds). Apply to multiple programmes within each - there's no penalty for spreading widely.
Apply via each university's portal - or CAO for KZN

Most universities have their own application portal (e.g. apply.uct.ac.za, apply.up.ac.za). KZN universities (UKZN, DUT, MUT, Unizulu) share CAO - one application, up to 6 programme choices.

Tip: <strong>UFH is NOT on CAO</strong> - it has its own portal. Don't get caught out.
Pay the application fee

UCT R100, Stellenbosch R100, Wits R100, UP R300, UJ free if before deadline, CAO R250. International fees are typically R300-R750.
Submit before the deadline

See the dates table below. Most close June-September 2026 for 2027 intake. UCT and Stellenbosch don't accept late applications.
Apply for NSFAS or missing-middle loan in parallel

Apply at my.nsfas.org.za - being accepted to a university doesn't mean you have funding. See our NSFAS guide.
Accept your offer + register

First offers May-September 2026; firm offers October-December 2026 after final Matric results. Accept the offer in writing by the deadline, then register in January/February 2027.

The 26 SA public universities by type

Traditional Universities (11-13) - academic, research-led degrees:

UCT (Cape Town)
Wits (Johannesburg)
University of Pretoria (UP / Tuks)
Stellenbosch University (SU / Maties)
Rhodes University
North-West University (NWU)
University of the Free State (UFS)
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
University of the Western Cape (UWC)
University of Fort Hare (UFH)
University of Venda (Univen)
+ Sefako Makgatho (SMU) and Sol Plaatje (SPU) - sometimes counted here

Universities of Technology (6) - vocational, applied, work-integrated:

Cape Peninsula UoT (CPUT)
Central UoT (CUT)
Durban UoT (DUT)
Mangosuthu UoT (MUT)
Tshwane UoT (TUT)
Vaal UoT (VUT)

Comprehensive Universities (6-7) - hybrid: both academic degrees and vocational diplomas:

University of Johannesburg (UJ)
UNISA
Nelson Mandela University (NMU)
University of Zululand (Unizulu)
Walter Sisulu University (WSU)
University of Limpopo (UL)
University of Mpumalanga (UMP)

Traditional vs UoT vs Comprehensive

Traditional: Academic, research-led, theoretical degrees (BA, BSc, BCom, LLB, MBChB). Strong in postgraduate research and humanities/sciences.
University of Technology: Vocational and applied - Higher Certificates, Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, BTech. Strong industry linkages, work-integrated learning, engineering and applied science focus.
Comprehensive: Hybrid - offer both academic degrees and vocational diplomas. Created after 2004 mergers to widen access.

2026 application timing for 2027 academic year

University	Opens	Closes
Wits	2 March 2026	30 June (Health Sci, Architecture) / 30 September (general)
UCT	1 April 2026	31 July 2026 (no late apps)
UP	1 April 2026	30 June (some 31 May)
Stellenbosch	1 April 2026	31 July (Medicine earlier, no late apps)
CAO (UKZN/DUT/MUT/Unizulu)	1 March 2026	31 October standard, late from 1 Nov
UJ, NWU, UFS, NMU, TUT, CPUT, Rhodes	March-May 2026	August-September 2026
UNISA	14 April 2026	9 May 2026 (Sem 1 2027 - narrow window)

Most universities release first offers May-September 2026; firm offers October-December 2026 after final matric results.

How APS is calculated

Convert each NSC subject percentage to a level: 80%+ = 7; 70-79 = 6; 60-69 = 5; 50-59 = 4; 40-49 = 3; 30-39 = 2; under 30 = 1
Sum your best 6 subjects excluding Life Orientation (LO sometimes counted as half at NWU/UFS)
Maximum APS = 42 (most universities)

Special cases:

UCT uses its own 600-point Faculty Points Score (FPS), which includes NBT results weighted in
Wits uses a 54-point composite
Stellenbosch uses average percentages, not APS

See our full APS calculator guide.

Typical APS thresholds by programme

MBChB Medicine: 36-42+
BEng Engineering: 30-38
LLB Law: 30-36
BCom: 26-34
BA / BSocSci / BEd: 24-32
Higher Certificates / Diplomas (UoTs): 15-22

Application platforms

CAO (Central Applications Office) - single application for KZN-based institutions: UKZN, DUT, MUT, Unizulu. One form covers up to six programme choices. Fee R250 standard / R470 late (SA citizens).

Each university's own portal - UCT, Wits, UP, Stellenbosch, UJ, NWU, UFS, UWC, Rhodes, NMU, TUT, CPUT, CUT, VUT, Univen, UL, WSU, UMP, SMU, SPU, UNISA all run independent applications via their .ac.za domains.

NSFAS and the missing middle

NSFAS covers full tuition, registration, accommodation, transport, learning materials and a personal-care allowance at all 26 public universities and TVET colleges.

SA citizen / permanent resident
Combined household income ≤ R350,000/year (≤ R600,000 with disability)
SASSA grant recipients auto-qualify
2026 cycle closed 15 November 2025; ~660,000 students approved from 893,847 applications

Missing Middle Loan (CSFM) for households earning R350,001-R600,000:

Government-backed loan via NSFAS
Covers tuition and accommodation
Can convert up to 50% into a bursary if student achieves ≥70% average and finishes in minimum time
Uptake has been weak - only ~12,000 applications for 2026 against R1bn allocated

Application fees (2026/27 cycle)

UCT: R100 SA/SADC; R300 international
Stellenbosch: R100 SA; R400 international (Business School higher)
Wits: R100 SA / R700 international
UP: R300 online / R750 international
UJ: free if you apply online before deadline
NWU, UFS, Rhodes: ~R150-R250
CAO (KZN universities): R250 single fee
TUT, CPUT, VUT, CUT: R100-R250

Most fall in the R100-R500 range for SA citizens - non-refundable.

Top universities by global ranking (QS 2026)

UCT - #150 globally; #1 in Sub-Saharan Africa
Wits - #291 globally
Stellenbosch - #302 globally
UP - top 600 globally
UKZN, UJ, NWU, UFS, Rhodes - all feature in top continental tables

South African institutions take the first seven spots in the inaugural QS Sub-Saharan Africa 2026 ranking.

Student portals - most-searched access points

Each university has its own student portal. The most-searched in SA:

UCT: Student Self-Service (PeopleSoft), Vula - UCT portals guide
Wits: Self-Service, ulwazi - Wits guide
UP (Tuks): my.up.ac.za, clickUP - UP guide
Stellenbosch: SUNStudent, SUNLearn - SU guide
UKZN: Student Central, UKZN Learn - UKZN guide
UJ: uLink, Blackboard - UJ guide
NWU: eFundi, NWU Student Portal - NWU guide
UNISA: myUnisa, myLife - UNISA guide

Late and mid-year applications

Late applications available: NWU, UJ (limited), UFS, TUT, CPUT, DUT, UNISA, MUT, NMU, WSU - penalty fees apply, programme availability limited (mostly Humanities, IT, Engineering, Commerce)
UCT and Stellenbosch do NOT accept late undergraduate applications
Mid-year / second-semester intake: UNISA (window mid-April to early May); MUT; Regenesys; selected programmes at TUT, CPUT, UJ
No MBChB, LLB or BEd mid-year

Application scams to avoid

Fake URLs: mynsfas.co.za, my-nsfas.org, all-free-byt.org/portal - only nsfas.org.za and university .ac.za sites are legitimate
Fake NSFAS mobile apps on Play Store - NSFAS has no official mobile app
"Guaranteed admission" letters circulating on WhatsApp/social media - confirmed fake by Africa Check
NSFAS will never SMS or call asking for passwords or payment

Frequently asked questions

How many public universities are in South Africa?

26 total - 11 Traditional Universities, 6 Universities of Technology, 6 Comprehensive Universities, plus 2-3 newer specialised institutions (Sefako Makgatho, Sol Plaatje, University of Mpumalanga).

What's the difference between a traditional university and a UoT?

Traditional universities focus on academic, research-led degrees (BA, BSc, BCom, LLB, MBChB). UoTs focus on vocational, applied qualifications (Diplomas, BTech) with stronger industry linkages and work-integrated learning. Comprehensive universities offer both.

How is APS calculated?

Convert each NSC subject percentage to a level (80%+ = 7, 70-79 = 6, etc.). Sum your best 6 subjects excluding Life Orientation. Maximum APS = 42. UCT, Wits and Stellenbosch use their own variations.

When do 2027 university applications open and close?

Most open March-April 2026. Closing dates vary: UCT 31 July, UP 30 June, Stellenbosch 31 July (no late apps); Wits Health Sci 30 June, general 30 September; CAO 31 October; UJ/NWU/UFS/TUT/CPUT typically August-September.

Does NSFAS cover full tuition at all universities?

Yes - for SA citizens / permanent residents with household income ≤ R350,000 (R600,000 with disability) at any of the 26 public universities. NSFAS doesn't fund private institutions.

Do I qualify for NSFAS if my parents earn more than R350,000?

Not for the standard bursary. If household income is R350,001-R600,000, apply for the Missing Middle Loan (CSFM) via NSFAS - up to 50% can convert to bursary if you achieve ≥70% average and finish in minimum time.

Which universities use CAO?

KZN-based institutions: UKZN, DUT, MUT and Unizulu. UFH is NOT on CAO - apply directly at ufh.ac.za.

Can I apply to multiple universities at once?

Yes - strongly recommended. Apply to 3-6 universities to balance reach and safety. There's no penalty for applying widely.

Which universities offer mid-year intake?

UNISA (April-May window); MUT; Regenesys; selected programmes at TUT, CPUT, UJ. No MBChB, LLB or BEd mid-year.

How much are university application fees?

R100-R500 for SA citizens at most universities. UJ is free for online applications before the deadline. CAO charges R250 once for all 4 KZN unis. International fees are typically R300-R750.

Which is the best university in South Africa?

UCT is ranked #1 in SA and Sub-Saharan Africa (QS 2026, #150 globally), followed by Wits (#291), Stellenbosch (#302) and UP (top 600).

Related guides

APS score calculator for SA universities

Calculate your APS and see which universities and programmes you qualify for.

How to apply for NSFAS 2026

Funding for university and TVET tuition + allowances.

Bursaries South Africa 2026 - complete guide

All major SA bursaries by field and closing date.

University applications 2027

Every SA university's verified 2027 opening and closing dates.

Last updated 17 May 2026. We review and refresh this guide regularly — if something here is out of date, let us know.