Public university application dates
Class of 2026
| INSTITUTION | APPLICATION FEE | APPLICATIONS OPEN | APPLICATIONS CLOSE | APPLICATION LINK |
| Eastern Cape | ||||
| Nelson Mandela University (NMU) |
Online application is free, R500 for International student |
01 April 2026 | 30 June 2026 – Health Sciences; 30 September 2026 – all other Faculties |
https://www.mandela.ac.za/Study-at-Mandela/Application/Academic-admission |
| Rhodes University | R100 | 01 April 2026 | 30 September 2026 | https://www.ru.ac.za/admissiongateway/ |
| University of Fort Hare (UFH) |
Online application is free; R500 for International Students |
01 April 2026 | 30 September 2026 | https://www.ufh.ac.za/apply/ |
| Walter Sisulu University (WSU) |
Online application is free | 01 April 2026 | 30 September 2026 – Health Sciences; 31 October 2026 all other faculties |
https://applications.wsu.ac.za/ |
| Free State | ||||
| Central University of Technology (CUT) |
Online application is free | 01 April 2026 | 30 September 2026 | https://www.cut.ac.za/ application-process |
| University of the Free State (KOVSIES) |
Online application is free | 01 April 2026 | 31 May 2026 – Faculty of Health Sciences; 31 July2026 – Architecture, Social Work and Nursing; 30 September 2025 – all other programmes |
https://apply.ufs.ac.za/Application/Start |
| Gauteng | ||||
| Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) |
R300 | 01 April 2026 | 31 July 2026 | https://www.smu.ac.za/students/apply/online-application/ |
| Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) |
R250 | 01 April 2026 | 31 July 2026 – Faculty of Arts; Agriculture, Education, Health Science, Humanities 30 September 2026 – all other applications |
https://applications-prod.tut.ac.za/ |
| University of Johannesburg (UJ) |
Online application is free | 01 April 2026 | 31 October 2026 @12h00 | https://www.uj.ac.za/admission-aid/undergraduate/ |
| University of Pretoria (TUKS) |
R300 | 01 April 2026 | 31 May 2026 – Faculty of Veterinary Science; 30 June 2026 – all other programme’s |
https://www.up.ac.za/online-application |
| University of Witwatersrand (WITS) |
R100 South African student applications R700 for international student applications |
01 March 2026 | 30 June 2026 – Faculty of Health Sciences (all programmes); Bachelor of Architecture; Bachelor of Audiology, Bachelor of Speech-Language Pathology; BA Film and TV; 30 September 2026 – all other programme’s |
https://www.wits.ac.za/undergraduate/apply-to-wits/ |
| Vaal University of Technology (VUT) |
R250 | 01 April 2026 | 30 September 2026 | https://www.vut.ac.za/apply-to-vut/ |
| KZN | ||||
| Durban University of Technology (DUT) |
R250 South African student applications R300 for international student applications |
01 March 2026 | 31 July 2026 – Faculty of Arts; Health Science 30 September 2026 – all other applications |
www.cao.ac.za |
| Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) |
R250 South African student applications R300 for international student applications |
01 March 2026 | 30 September 2026 | www.cao.ac.za |
| University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN) |
R250 South African student applications R300 for international student applications |
01 March 2026 | 30 June 2026 – Health Sciences Faculty for Medicine; 30 September 2026 – all other courses |
www.cao.ac.za |
| University of Zululand (UZulu) |
R250 South African student applications R300 for international student applications |
01 April 2026 | 30 August 2026 – Health Sciences, Social Work; 30 September 2026 – Nursing Science, all other programmes |
www.cao.ac.za |
| Limpopo | ||||
| University of Limpopo (Turfloop) |
R200 for South African students R750 for international students |
01 April 2026 | 20 June 2026 – MBChB programme; 30 September 2026 – all other programmes’ |
https://www.ul.ac.za/admissions/undergraduate-studies/ |
| University of Venda (Univen) |
Online application is free | 01 May 2026 | 25 September 2026 | https://www.univen.ac.za/students/student-support-services/how-to-apply/apply-online/ |
| University of Mpumalanga (UMP) |
R200 South African students R550 for international student applications |
01 June 2026 | 30 November 2026 | https://www.ump.ac.za/Study-with-us/Application-Process/Online-Applications |
| North West University (Pukke) |
Online application is free; R600 for International Students |
01 April 2026 | 30 June 2026 – Health Sciences; 31 August 2026 – all other Faculties |
https://applynow.nwu.ac.za/OnlineApplication/ |
| Northern Cape | ||||
| Sol Plaatje University (SPU) | R100 | 01 April 2026 | 30 September 2026 | https://www.spu.ac.za/index.php/how-to-apply/ |
| Western Cape | ||||
| Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) |
Online application is free; R150 for a manual application; Late application fee: R160 |
01 April 2026 | 31 August 2026 – all applications; 30 September 2026 – late applications (additional fee may be applicable) |
https://www.cput.ac.za/study |
| University of Cape Town (UCT) |
R100 South African students R300 for international student applications |
01 April 2026 | 31 July 2026 | https://uct.ac.za/students/applications-apply-undergraduate-qualifications/application-procedure |
| University of Stellenbosch (MARTIES) |
R100 South African students R400 for international student applications |
01 April 2026 | 31 July 2026 | https://www.su.ac.za/en/apply/undergrad |
| University of the Western Cape (UWC) | Online application is free | 01 May 2026 | 30 September 2026 | https://www.uwc.ac.za/admission-and-financial-aid/apply/undergraduate-applications |
| University of South African (UNISA) Online |
R120 | 01 August 2026 | 10 October 2026 | https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Apply-for-admission/Undergraduate-qualifications |
| NOTE: Most of the Private Tertiary Institutions enable applications until end January 2027 for studies in the same year. | ||||
