The University of South Africa (UNISA), established on the 26 June 1873, is a reputable, comprehensive and accessible open distance learning institution.

UNISA Application For Admission 2022

Undergraduate qualifications (higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas & degrees):
20 August – 27 September

Honours degrees & postgraduate diplomas:
20 August – 27 September

Master’s & doctoral qualifications:
10 September – 8 November

All applications for second semester is now closed. Applications for 2022 will open around August

To apply to UNISA for the next application thus for 2022 academic year, you will need the following ;

1) A certified copy of the green bar coded ID

2) Proof of payment of any relevant application fees

3) Certified copy of grade 11 results and any latest grade 12 results

Applicants must check individual further requirements for each course and each tertiary institution. Please also be aware of NBTs and check with your university if you need NBT results to apply.

FYI: South Africans learners wishing to apply online will need a working email address and an ID number. Foreign learners wishing to apply will need to have their passport number.

Unisa Undergraduate Application Information

Unisa will accept applications for admission to undergraduate qualifications (higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas & degrees) for the 2020 academic year from 20 August – 27 September 2022.

Everyone wanting to start a new qualification must apply for admission. This includes

first-time Unisa applicants
Unisa students changing to a new qualification and / or specialisation
applicants who previously applied for admission and were either not offered a space or were offered a space and did not register
students completing a higher certificate or alternative pathway / extended programme who wish to continue with further undergraduate studies

How to Apply to University of South Africa UNISA 2022

All applications for admission must be submitted online during the prescribed application period.

Applicants who plan to enrol for classes at a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college under the Unisa-TVET agreement may apply via the relevant TVET college or at Unisa via the online or self-help options.

UNISA Selection and application for 2022: here’s what you should know

Unisa will accept applications for admission to undergraduate qualifications (higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas & degrees) for the 2022 academic year from 20 August – 27 September 2022.

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 an application and selection process that effectively addresses historical imbalances without sacrificing quality standards.

This process promotes focused attention towards improved student support, and the alignment of our new student intake with the available academic capacity and required infrastructure to maximize all students’ chances of success.

What does the selection process entail?

At the heart of the selection process is a calculation of your individual points score, which takes into account your final Grade 12 marks and other key factors such as the school you attended, and your gender, socio-economic group, race, and so on.
Before submitting an application, please check whether you meet the statutory and college-specific admission requirements, and the required academics points score (APS) for your chosen qualification(s). A higher certificate requires a minimum APS of 15, a diploma a minimum APS of 18 and a bachelor degree a minimum APS of 21 or more (some exceptions apply).
It is important to note that you will not automatically be accepted to study through Unisa in semester 1 of 2022. Students will be accommodated on the basis of the number of places available for each qualification.

The application process

You may apply for a maximum of two qualifications, ranked in order of preference (although you may only register for one should both of your qualifications be successful).
Unisa will inform you of the outcome of your application. If successful, Unisa will indicate for which qualification you have been accepted and will offer you a space for the period for which you have applied (ie semester 1).
You must accept or decline Unisa’s offer within the prescribed period of time. If you miss this deadline, Unisa will withdraw the offer and give your space to another applicant.
You may only accept one offer. This means that when you accept an offer for one qualification (irrespective of whether it is your first or second qualification of choice), the other offer will automatically fall away.
If you accept Unisa’s offer, you must register for the period for which you have been granted admission (ie semester 1). Should you not register for the relevant semester of study, you will need to re-apply for admission during the next application period.

Who must apply?

Everyone wanting to start a new qualification must apply for admission. This includes first-time Unisa applicants and Unisa students changing to a new qualification and / or specialization.
If you are completing a higher certificate or alternative pathway / extended programmed, you must apply for admission if you want to continue with further undergraduate studies.
You must re-apply for admission if you previously applied for admission and were offered a space, but did not accept the offer and / or did not register for any reason.
Everyone planning to enroll for classes at a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college under the Unisa-TVET agreement must apply for admission.

Unisa Honours degrees & postgraduate diplomas

Everyone wanting to start a new qualification must apply for admission, including first-time Unisa applicants, Unisa students changing to a new qualification and/or changing the specialisation of their current qualification, and applicants in their final year of an undergraduate qualification who wish to continue with postgraduate studies.

Please note:

If you are a first-time Unisa applicant and do not have a my Life e-mail address, Unisa will communicate with you via the e-mail address and cellphone number you provided during the application period.
If you were previously registered with Unisa, Unisa will send the outcome of your application to your my Life e-mail account. Please check this e-mail account regularly for information. If you have forgotten your my Unisa / my Life password, please go to my Unisa (https://my.unisa.ac.za) to update your password.
Unisa provides all registered students with a free my Life e-mail address. It is your responsibility to activate your my Life e-mail account as soon as your registration is finalized. Your my Life e-mail account will be the only e-mail account recognized by Unisa for official correspondence to and from the university, and will remain the official primary e-mail address on record at Unisa. Click here for Unisa’s rules for students.

Selection and application for 2022: here’s what you should know

What does the selection process entail?

Unisa will assess your application according to the academic admission requirements for your qualification(s) of choice and your final mark received at undergraduate level.

How does the application process work?

You may apply for a maximum of two qualifications, ranked in order of preference (although you may only register for one should both of your applications be successful).
Unisa will inform you of the outcome of your application.
You must accept or decline Unisa’s offer within the prescribed period of time.
If you accept Unisa’s offer for the 2022academic year, you may only register for the qualification and specialization for which you received an offer. You may also only register for the 2022 academic year. Should you decide not to register for the 2020 academic year for any reason, you will need to re-apply for admission in 2020 for the 2021 academic year.

Who must apply for admission?

Everyone wanting to start a new qualification must apply for admission. This includes

first-time Unisa applicants
Unisa students changing to a new qualification and/or changing the specialisation of a current qualification
applicants in their final year of an undergraduate qualification who wish to continue with postgraduate studies

Please note: You must re-apply for admission if you previously applied for admission and were offered a space, but did not register for any reason.

ODeL And Unisa Application

ODeL is a different way of learning, there is a physical distance between you and your university. For most of us, this means that our previous learning experiences will not have prepared us for the Unisa study journey. In distance learning, YOU are responsible for your studies. You don’t attend daily lectures. You learn from a distance and you connect to the university mostly via the internet.

But this doesn’t mean that you are on your own. Unisa has a number of support services for our students – from tutorial support and counselling, to online tools. The “distance” in distance learning means that most of your interactions with Unisa will take place at a distance – mostly in digital format.

How to Apply to University of South Africa

Are you ready to apply for UNISA admission?

Who must apply?

Everyone wanting to start a new qualification must apply for admission.

When may I apply?

What do I need to apply?

You need to check that you qualify for admission and that you have the necessary documents ready to upload during the application process.

I am sure

that I meet the statutory and college admission requirements for my qualification(s) of choice
that I meet the minimum academic points score (APS) for my qualification(s) of choice – a higher certificate requires a minimum APS of 15, a diploma a minimum APS of 18 and a bachelor degree a minimum APS of 21 or more (some exceptions apply)
that I have a valid e-mail address and cellphone number, and I accept that Unisa will communicate with me during the application process using this e-mail address and cellphone number. Please ensure that you provide only one e-mail address and one cellphone number during the application process.

I have the following documents scanned & uploaded to an electronic device

All applicants starting a new qualification must upload all the required documents, which generally consists of the following:

Copy of your school qualifications (eg Senior Certificate)
Copy of your official tertiary academic record(s) (if applicable) (internet copies will not be accepted)
Copy of your ID document (RSA students) or ID / passport (international students)
Copy of your marriage certificate (if applicable) or divorce decree (if applicable)
Sworn translations of documents if they are not in English or Afrikaans

* We urge all Unisa students who previously applied prior to 2016 to upload all the required documents. Failure to do so may result in a delay in processing your application.

** Some qualifications may require additional documents. Unisa reserves the right to request original documents and / to verify the correctness of submitted documents at any time. Submitting fraudulent documents is an offence in terms of the Student Disciplinary Code.

I am sure that my documents are scanned according to the rules

Follow the instructions carefully when completing the online application process. Only upload the required documents as individual files and not a complete set of documents as one file.

Apply for admission

How to apply?

CLICK HERE to apply online

Upload supporting documents

Everyone applying for a new qualification must submit the required documents (all first-time applicants and Unisa students starting a new qualification). The due date for uploading the required documents is the closing date for applications. No documents submitted after the closing date for applications will be accepted.

Unisa does not provide scanners or electronic devices. Please ensure that your documents are scanned and uploaded to an electronic device before starting the application process.

Pay the application fee once you’ve received a student number from Unisa

R110 for online applications
R170 for hard copy applications (hard copy applications will only be considered in exceptional cases)
Use the student number you receive from Unisa AND the application fee reference number (ie STUDENTNUMBER 5370810030)
Visit www.unisa.ac.za/paymentinfo for banking details and payment information.

This fee is non-refundable even if you decide not to study through Unisa, do not qualify for admission to Unisa or cannot be offered a space due to limited spaces available. Unisa does not accept cash at any of its offices.

The due date for the application fee is the closing date for the application period. Any application submitted without an application fee paid on time will not be processed. Please ensure that you keep a copy of your proof of payment.

Make sure that your application is complete

If your application for admission to study through Unisa is incomplete, you will have to re-apply during the next application period.

University of South Africa Admission Requirements

General Admission Requirements

The admission requirements at UNISA dependent on the type of qualification you want to apply to.
If you don’t meet the criteria for a certain qualification, you may still qualify for alternative qualifications or extended programmes.
Students who completed Grade 12 at the ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) School of Tomorrow may no longer be accepted at UNISA (current students may however complete their studies).

Admission Requirements for Specific Qualifications

Accounting Sciences
Agriculture & Environmental Sciences
Economic & Management Sciences
Education
Human Sciences
Law
Science, Engineering & Technology

University of South Africa Residences / Accommodation

Residences

UNISA does not have residences, but many campuses.

The university has seven regional centres in South Africa:

Eastern Cape (East London, Mthatha, Port Elizabeth)
Gauteng (Ekurhuleni, Florida, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Vaal Triangle)
Kwazulu-Natal (Durban, Newcastle Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay, Wild Coast Region)
Limpopo Province (Giyani,Makhado, Polokwane)
Midlands (Bloemfontein, Kimberley Kroonstad, Mafikeng, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg)
Mpumalanga (Middelburg, Nelspruit)
Western Cape (Cape Town, George)

Application for admission 2022

All applications for second semester 2022 is now closed. Applications for 2022 will open around August 2022.

Undergraduate qualifications (higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas & degrees):
20 August – 27 September 2022

Honours degrees & postgraduate diplomas:
20 August – 27 September 2022

Master’s & doctoral qualifications:
10 September – 8 November 2022

To accept or decline Unisa’s offer or check your application status, go to www.unisa.ac.za/acceptofferADVERTISEMENT

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can Apply For Admission At UNISA ?

Everyone wanting to start a new qualification must apply for admission. This includes first-time Unisa applicants, Unisa students changing to a new qualification and applicants who previously applied for admission but were not offered a space.
Everyone completing a Higher Certificate or Alternative Pathway / Extended Programme must apply for admission to a follow-on qualification.
You must re-apply for admission if you previously applied for admission and received feedback, but did not register for any reason.
Everyone planning to enrol at a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college under the Unisa-TVET agreement must apply for admission.

When can I apply for admission?

Applications for admission to selected undergraduate qualifications (higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, PGCE, BTech & degrees) for semester 2 of the 2022 academic year will be open from 6 – 13 May 2022.

How many qualifications can I apply for?

You can apply for a maximum of two qualifications. You may be offered a place based on the following: whether you meet the academic admission requirements for your qualification of choice, your minimum points score and the number of places available for the qualification for which you have applied.

How do I apply?

Visit the Unisa application website (www.unisa.ac.za/apply) and follow the 5-step process.

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

Yes, please obtain this information from my Unisa 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 next academic year.

Will I be able to change my proposed qualification to a diploma or higher certificate if my Grade 12 results don’t give me admission to my degree of choice?

No qualification can be changed or added after the closing date for applications. You may apply for a maximum of two qualifications during the application process. We suggest that you also therefore apply for a qualification at a lower level to make provision for a situation such as this.

Current or returning Unisa students who wish to change to a new qualification / specialisation may ONLY apply for this change during the relevant application period.

I’m currently in Grade 12. When should I apply?

If you are in Grade 12 this year (2022), please apply for the 2022 academic year. The application period for the 2022 academic year will be open in August 2022.

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

The non-refundable application for self-help and online applications is R105,00.
The non-refundable application fee of R160,00 for hard copy applications (hard copy applications will only be considered in exceptional cases).

This application fee is non-refundable even if you decide not to study through Unisa or do not qualify for admission to Unisa.

Please note: The closing date for applications is the closing date for the application fee. No late fees will be accepted.

Who must pay the application fee?

Only first-time applicants at Unisa have to pay the application fee. You do not need to pay the application fee if you have previously paid an application fee at Unisa.

When can I apply for NSFAS funding?

Visit the NSFAS website for all information related to NSFAS funding for 2022.

I’ve applied. What happens now?

Unisa will assess your application, which includes the points score system. You may be offered a place based on the following: whether you meet the academic admission requirements for your qualification of choice, your minimum points score and the number of places available for the qualification for which you have applied.
Please note that you will not automatically be accepted to study through Unisa even if you meet the above 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 of the outcome of your application.
You must accept or decline Unisa’s offer within the prescribed period of time.
If you accept Unisa’s offer, you must register for the period for which you have been granted admission. Should you not register for the relevant semester of study, you will need to re-apply for admission during the next application period.

When can I expect feedback on my online application?

The verification of applications takes some time. You may only receive feedback from Unisa six to eight weeks after the closing date for applications.

I’ve applied for one qualification, but now want to change to another qualification. What should I do?

In exceptional cases and on receipt of a written request, an applicant may change the qualification for which he or she has applied. Unisa will consider such a request, but the outcome will be based on merit and the number of spaces available in the proposed qualification.

Accepting Unisa’s offer

If your application for admission to the 2022 academic year is successful, Unisa will offer you a space for the period for which you have applied and will also indicate for which qualification you are being offered a space.
You must accept or decline Unisa’s offer within the prescribed period of time.
You may only accept one offer. This means that when you accept an offer for one qualification (irrespective of whether it is your first or second qualification of choice), the other offer will automatically fall away.
You will only be permitted to register for the qualification for which you have accepted the offer.
If you accept Unisa’s offer, you must register for the period for which you were granted admission.
If you do not register for the relevant semester of study, you will need to re-apply during the next application period.