Here are 10 universities in SA with the most applications for 2025

Just a month into the 2025 academic year after South African universities began their first semester, yet, hundreds of thousands of students who applied remain shut out of classrooms, facing uncertainty about their academic futures

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) revealed which universities received the highest number of applications during a briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Education on Tuesday.

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Universities most applied to

According to the department‘s briefing, these are the 10 universities that received the most applications for the 2025 academic year.

• Walter Sisulu University: 380 533
• North-West University: 380 000
• Unisa: 370 256
• University of Johannesburg: 360 000
• Central University of Technology: 343 290
• Vaal University of Technology: 328 998
• University of Limpopo: 303 515
• Cape Peninsula University of Technology: 214 551
• University of Fort Hare: 208 282
• Tshwane University of Technology: 200 000

More than 4 million individuals applied for university nationwide, though only 201 925 were enrolled.

“91.7% of the year’s universities’ overall enrollment targets (1 152 418) has already been met,” the department said.

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Spaces available at TVET colleges

While lack of space was an issue at universities, it was not the case for programmes at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.

According to the department, more than 26 000 spaces are available for students in the report 191: BS programme, with 4355 slots reserved for the next semester.

Following with 17 000 spots remaining in the Occupational programmes.

However, the Pre Vocational Learning Programme (PLP) is nearly at capacity with only 732 spaces remaining.

The popular programme across the country is National Certificate: Vocational, with TVET colleges in Gauteng and Free State having the most students at 38 896.

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CET colleges

Despite higher education institutions reopening in February, Community Education and Training (CET) Colleges resumed in January 2025.

According to DHET, registration processes were conducted efficiently with no disruptions.

“No students have been turned away from CET Colleges,” it said.

Most students enrolled in the AET level 4 programme, with 73 490 individuals across the country.

In KwaZulu-Natal, more than 12 000 students take the programme.

The least popular programme was Occupational qualification, with 2 338 intakes.

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