Prospective students queue outside Unisa's Durban campus in February.
The University of South Africa (Unisa) says it acknowledges that some students are negatively affected by the late disbursement of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) grants, because their registrations were finalised after the start of the academic semester, Berea Mail reports.
The University is also aware that many NSFAS grantees are still waiting for their book allowances (sBux).
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According to the University, affected students who managed to submit their assignments, but who are not ready to write their examinations during the May / June 2018 examination period, will be allowed to defer their examinations for semester 1 to semester 2, at no cost to themselves.
Concessions Unisa will be undertaking include allowing affected students who failed to submit their assignments to be allowed to cancel their registrations for semester 1, and move their modules to semester 2 without forfeiting fees.
Affected students who have progressed sufficiently with their academic programme, and are confident that they are ready to write their examinations during the May / June 2018 examination period, still have the opportunity to do so.
Affected students who registered for both semester 1 and semester 2 will be allowed to amend their registration without forfeiting fees. Year modules are not affected, as there is still sufficient academic time left.
Affected students will be contacted individually via e-mail with information on the processes to be followed to exercise the option(s) that they have chosen.
“Our recommendation is that students should carefully consider their preparedness for the examination when they decide on which option(s) to select. It is better to postpone or defer a module than taking the risk of writing the examination while being ill-prepared.
“Unisa’s management has decided that students who successfully complete their lower qualification in May / June 2018 and who meet the entrance requirements for a diploma or an undergraduate degree, may register for that qualification in the second semester,” read the statement released by the University.
“Such students do not need to apply for admission to the higher qualification during the current application period. These students will be identified and contacted individually to explain the registration process to be followed.
“Closing date for the semester 2 application period. Due to the recent intermittent downtime of the application system, the closing date for the semester 2 application period will be extended to Thursday 26 April 2018,” said the University.
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