No new applications accepted for 2018 says Wits

The University of Witwatersrand (Wits) on Thursday said that they would not be accepting any further applications for the 2018 academic year.

“Wits University has finalised its applications for the 2018 academic year, and will not be accepting any further applications for the first semester intake,” Wits spokesperson Schalk Mouton said in a statement.

“The closing date for undergraduate studies at the University was the 30 September 2017.”

Mouton said the university had received 56 901 applications for first year enrollments for the 2018 academic year, despite only having space for 5 664 first year students.

“The University is currently growing its post-graduate student numbers, as part of its 2022 strategy and has received 22 727 applications for post-graduate studies. In total, the University has received 79 628 applications for the 2018 academic year,” he said.

Mouton added that the university only had the capacity to enrol a maximum of 36 400 full time students.

“Wits University has doubled its student numbers in the last two decades, and the University’s enrolment plan is approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training,” said Wits Registrar Carol Crosley.

“Over enrolment has a significant impact on the academic integrity of the University’s academic programme. It stretches the University’s human resources capacity (affecting work loads of lecturers, teaching and administrative staff); and impacts on infrastructure as the University only has a defined number of teaching venues.”

– African News Agency (ANA)