THE University of South Africa (Unisa) has re-opened applications for first-time students for the 2018 academic year.
Unisa decided to do so after receiving information from Universities South Africa (USAF) on managing walk-in students. during the 2018 registration period,
First-time undergraduate students have been urged to apply via the university’s website or at the self-help station at the Richards Bay campus by Friday.
‘Only new applications received by the application deadline on Monday will be processed,’ the university said in a statement.
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‘Offers will then be made to qualifying applicants on a first come, first served basis, subject to the number of places still available for the 2018 academic year.’
USAF has discouraged walk-in applications across all universities in the country and has called on students to make use of online portals for registration and the Department of Higher Education’s Central Application Service which is designed for Grade 12 students who are seeking admission to post-school institutions.
Despite the no walk-in call, students have come out in numbers to queue outside institutions of higher learning to secure admission.
During the first week of registration at Unisa’s Richards Bay campus, hundreds of students braved the heat and stood in line for hours.
Some raised their frustrations on the number of students the campus could assist in a day.
‘I am a fourth year student and I had tried registering online, but the Unisa system has constantly been down and I was advised to come directly to the campus to sort it out,’ said Nontobeko Mkhwanazi.
Despite arriving as early as 4am, Mkhwanazi said she was not able to get the assistance she needed.
‘I live in Ulundi and for three days I have had to put petrol in my car and drive here to register, but I kept being turned away. I didn’t even need to physically come here for registration, but the online system was not working,’ she said.
Another student, Innocent Khanyile from Ngwelezana, said he and his brother had come on different days to register, but both of them returned home without getting any assistance.
‘We are told there is a shortage of staff and their administrator can only assist a specified number a day. But what is concerning is that the specified number changes every day,’ Khanyile said.
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