UNISA Application 2025/2026

Apply for admission – UNISA Application

• There is only one application period for the 2016 academic year.
• All applications must be done online. You will be able to track the progress of your application online.
• You can now apply for a maximum of three qualifications if you meet all the admission requirements for your chosen qualifications. Please select your qualifications in order of preference.
• Unisa will inform you whether or not your application is successful and the qualification(s) for which you have been selected.
• You will be required to accept the offer. Students that have been accepted for registration must confirm acceptance of Unisa’s admission offer with 10 working days. Failure to accept the offer within 10 working days from the date the offer is made will result in the space being offered to another student.

How to apply?

Application for admission to honours degrees and postgraduate diplomas in 2016 are closed. More information on the how to apply will be provided closer to September 2016.

Selection and application <-> here’s what you should know

UNISA Application

What will the new selection process entail?

• At the heart of the selection process is the calculation of an individual’s points score, which takes into account the final mark received at undergraduate level and other key factors such as gender, socio-economic group, race etc.
• Once the requirements have been met, students may apply for admission. This, however, is no guarantee that a space for registration will be offered upon receiving an application for study (see the application process below).
• Another change is that students will be accommodated on the basis of the number of places available for each qualification.
• Students will no longer be automatically accepted if they meet the general academic admission requirements for a qualification, as was the case previously.
• Unisa is serious about accommodating as many students as possible, and applicants who pass the selection phase but are declined due to insufficient positions will be placed on a waiting list for the qualification they want to pursue. Such applicants will be informed if a place becomes available.

How will the applications process change?

• There will be only one application period per academic year.
• Students that have been accepted for registration must confirm acceptance of Unisa’s admission offer with 10 working days. Failure to accept the offer within 10 working days from the date the offer is made will result in the space being offered to another student. Should you not register for the 2016 academic year, you will be required to re-apply in 2016 for the academic year.
• Only online applications will be accepted for 2016. Online applications for 2016 will be open from 15 September to 13 November 2015.

Who will be affected?

The aforementioned changes apply to all applicants wanting to start a new honours qualification or postgraduate diploma, that is, first-time Unisa applicants, Unisa students changing to a new qualification, previously registered Unisa students who did not register in 2015 but who wish to study in 2016, and students who applied for a new qualification in 2015 or earlier but did not register for it. Students re-registering for a qualification that now has a different code need not re-apply.

FAQs for honours degrees and postgraduate diplomas: application for admission

Qualifications – UNISA Application 

What qualifications does Unisa offer?

Unisa offers different levels of qualifications:

• Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas and degrees: www.unisa.ac.za/qualifications
• Honours degrees and postgraduate diplomas: www.unisa.ac.za/qualificationsHONS
• Master’s and doctoral qualifications: www.unisa.ac.za/qualificationsMD
• Short learning programmes: www.unisa.ac.za/slp

Applying for admission

Who must apply for admission?

Everyone starting a new honours degree or postgraduate diploma, first-time Unisa applicants, Unisa students changing to a new qualification, previously registered Unisa students who did not register in 2015 but who wish to study in 2016, and students who applied for a new qualification in 2015 or earlier but did not register for it.

When can I apply?

• There is only one application period for the 2016 academic year.
• Only online applications will be accepted.
• Applications for 2016 are closed.

Why is there a new selection and application process for 2016?

Unisa is known as a provider of fair and equitable access to higher education opportunities. Flowing from its social responsibility to address past inequalities, Unisa has developed a new application and selection process that will more effectively address historical imbalances without sacrificing quality standards.
This process will promote focused attention towards improved student support and the alignment of our new student intake with the available academic capacity and required infrastructure to maximise all students’ chances of success.
Click here for more information.

How many qualifications can I apply for?

You can now apply for a maximum of three qualifications if you meet all the admission requirements for your chosen qualifications.

How do I apply?

Visit the Unisa application website (www.unisa.ac.za/applyHONS) and follow the 4-step process.

I scanned and uploaded original documents when I applied? Do I need to upload certified documents?

Once a document has been scanned, it is no longer regarded as an original document. You must upload certified copies (by an official Commissioner of Oaths) as part of the application process.

I studied previously through Unisa. Must I also submit my academic record?

Yes, please obtain this information from myUnisa and submit your academic record as part of the application process. Please note that you do not need to get this unofficial academic record certified, as Unisa can verify the information against the Unisa database.

Will I still be able to submit any outstanding documents after applications have closed?

Unisa will not accept any late applications or documents submitted after the closing date for applications. You will need to re-apply for the academic year.

Fees and student funding

Is there an application fee? If so, how much is it?

The non-refundable application for online applications is R100,00.
This application fee is non-refundable even if you decide not to study through Unisa or do not qualify for admission to Unisa.

Who must pay the application fee?

Only first-time applicants at Unisa have to pay the application fee.

What is the acceptance fee and when do I need to pay it?

If Unisa makes you an offer for the 2016 academic year, you need to do two things:

• Accept the offer (also indicate which offer you are accepting if you receive more than one offer).
• Pay the non-refundable acceptance fee of R1020.00 to confirm Unisa’s offer within 10 working days. The non-refundable acceptance fee will reduce the required minimum amount when you register.

Please note:

• The non-refundable acceptance fee must be paid within 10 working days of Unisa making the offer.
• If you don’t pay the non-refundable acceptance fee within this period, you will lose your space for the 2016 academic year. You will have to re-apply for the academic year.
• Should you pay the non-refundable acceptance fee, but decide not to register for the 2016 academic year, you will need to re-apply for the academic year and again pay the non-refundable acceptance fee to accept any offer that Unisa might make.

How can I pay the application and/or acceptance fee?

Visit www.unisa.ac.za/paymentinfo for banking and payment information.

If the application and/or acceptance fee subject to a cooling-off period?

No.

If I have a bursary, NSFAS or other study loan, who is responsible for paying the non-refundable acceptance fee?

NSFAS and bursary students are responsible for paying the acceptance fee when accepting Unisa’s offer.

When can I apply for NSFAS funding?

Applications for NSFAS funding for 2016 will be open from 17 August 2015 to 30 September 2015. Apply online: www.nsfas.org.za

I applied for NSFAS funding or a bursary and require a letter of confirmation from Unisa that my application for admission has been successful. When will I get this confirmation?

The verification of applications takes some time. Unisa will, therefore, only start to inform applicants who applied online about the outcome of their applications from the middle of December 2015.

I’ve applied. What happens now?

• Unisa will assess your application using a points score system.
• Please note that you will not automatically be accepted to study through Unisa in 2016 even if you meet the general admission requirements for your qualification(s) of choice. Students will be accommodated on the basis of the number of places available for each qualification.
• Unisa will inform you whether or not your application was successful and the qualification(s) for which you have been accepted (ie make you an offer).
  • Successful application: Pay the non-refundable acceptance fee of R1020 within 10 working days of the offer being made. If you receive more than one offer from Unisa, please indicate which offer you are accepting. If you don’t pay the non-refundable acceptance fee, you will lose your space. NSFAS and students with bursaries are responsible for paying the acceptance fee when accepting Unisa’s offer.
  • Unsuccessful application: Unisa will inform you that your application was unsuccessful. Visit www.unisa.ac.za/studyoptions to explore other study options.
  • Waiting list: You may be informed if a space becomes available at a later stage.

When can I expect feedback on my online application?

The verification of applications takes some time. Unisa will, therefore, only start to inform applicants about the outcome of their applications from the middle of December 2015.
We suggest, though, that you confirm that you have done the following before the closing date for applications:

• Applied for admission for the 2016 academic year.
• Uploaded all the necessary certified documents.
• Received your student number.
• Paid the application fee (where applicable)

I want to register, but didn’t apply during the application period. What should I do?

You will need to apply for admission during the next application period. Please visit www.unisa.ac.za/applyHONS for more information.