Unisa has released the application dates for the 2020 academic year. Students who missed out on the previous Unisa application period in May finally have a chance to apply to study at Unisa.
The application dates for the 2020 academic year at Unisa are as follows:
- Undergraduate Qualifications (higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, BTech & degrees): 20 August 2019 – 27 September 2019
- Postgraduate Diplomas & Honours Degrees: 20 August 2019 – 27 September 2019
- Masters & Doctoral Degrees: 10 September 2019 – 8 November 2019
Registration for Semester 1 of the 2020 academic year will open from 3 January 2020. A closing date has yet to be announced and will be communicated to students when available.
*On 15 November 2019, UNISA issued a statement regarding changes to the UNISA application window. Applications will become an open and continuous process. This means that students can apply for a UNISA qualification any time of the year. Read more on UNISA’s open application window here.
Who Can Apply At Unisa (Undergraduate Qualifications)?
Before jumping straight into applying for a qualification at Unisa, you’d have to ask yourself whether you can actually apply or not. Prospective Unisa students can apply for an undergraduate qualification if they meet the following requirements:
- Applying at Unisa for the first time;
- Currently registered Unisa students looking to change to a new qualification;
- Previous applicants who were unsuccessful in their applications;
- Successful applicants who were unable to register for their qualification;
- Students who completed or are completing a lower qualification (Higher Certificate/Alternative Pathway or Extended Programme) and looking to apply for an undergraduate qualification.
Additionally, prospective students have to match the standards set by Unisa in order to have their applications accepted. This includes:
The APS
The Admission Points Score (APS) is a scoring system set by universities around South Africa to determine whether students are able to study for a qualification or not.
Read More: How To Calculate Your APS
Taken into account during Unisa’s selection process includes demographic factors such as race and gender.
Who Can Apply At Unisa (Postgraduate Diplomas & Honours Degrees)
When it comes to postgraduate diplomas & honours degrees, Unisa will assess and determine whether students qualify via:
- Academic admission requirements; and
- Final cumulative mark obtained at undergraduate level.
Students who can apply for a postgraduate diploma or an honours degree include:
- Students who are applying at Unisa for the first time;
- Currently registered Unisa students looking to change to a new qualification;
- Final-year undergraduate students who wish to continue their studies with a postgraduate qualification; and
- Successful applicants who were unable to register for their qualification.
Who Can Apply At Unisa (Masters & Doctoral Degrees)
Prospective students who can apply for a Masters or Doctoral degree at Unisa include:
- Students who are applying at Unisa for the first time;
- Unisa students looking to change to a new qualification;
- Final-year students who wish to continue their studies with a masters/doctoral qualification; and
- Previously registered masters & doctoral students who did not register in 2019 and want to continue their studies.
Additionally, Unisa has selection degrees. They are degrees that only allows a set number of applicants. Furthermore, they have their own application dates which are set and administered by their respective academic departments.
These include:
- Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology – Consulting Psychology
- Master of Commerce in Industrial and Organisational Psychology (Coursework)
- Master of Education in Education Management (Coursework)
Students applying for a Masters or Doctoral degree have to apply for a student number (if they are not in possession of one).
Additional information on how to apply for a Selection degree can be found online here.
What Qualification Do I Apply For At Unisa?
Most students preparing for tertiary education know more or less what they want to study after school. Sometimes though, things do not always go as planned. What if Unisa rejected your application? What will you do?
Fortunately, Unisa allows students to apply for a maximum of two (2) qualifications for this exact possibility. When choosing qualifications, applicants would have to make sure to put their preferred qualification as the first choice.
Applicants are only allowed to register for one qualification if both chosen qualifications are successful. Successful applicants will be notified by Unisa of their applications’ outcome. Applicants will then have to accept or decline the university’s offer during the given prescribed period.
If an applicant fails to accept Unisa’s offer in time, it will be offered to another applicant. Applicants will have to register within the period they’ve applied for. Failure to register will result in the applicant having to re-apply during the next application period.
Regarding postgraduate diplomas & honours degrees, successful applicants may only register for the qualification/specialization that they’ve received an offer from. Failure to register for the 2020 academic year (no matter the reason) will result in students only able to apply again in 2020 for the 2021 academic year.
Unisa is strict on matters like this. If your application was successful, register as soon as possible.
How Can I Apply To Unisa?
Applicants are able to apply to study at Unisa via their online application portal. Unisa also allows hard-copy application submissions, but in exceptional cases only.
Applicants who are planning to study at a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college through the Unisa-TVET agreement, may apply either at the TVET college in question or at Unisa (online or self-help).
What Documents Are Needed To Apply At Unisa?
Prospective students applying at Unisa for the 2020 academic year need the following documents available for the application process (in electronic format):
Undergraduate applicants:
- A copy of your school qualifications;
- Copy of your official tertiary academic record (if you have one; no internet copies)
- A copy of your ID document or passport, depending on if you’re from South African or from another country
- Copy of your marriage certificate or divorce decree (if that is applicable)
- Sworn translations of the above documents if they are not in English or Afrikaans
Postgraduate & honors applicants:
- A copy of your school qualifications;
- Copy of your official tertiary academic record stating the year of registration, modules passed and percentages obtained (no internet copies);
- A copy of your ID document or passport, depending on if you’re from South African or from another country
- Copy of your marriage certificate or divorce decree (if that is applicable)
- Sworn translations of the above documents if they are not in English or Afrikaans.
Additionally, international students applying for a postgraduate diploma or honours degree may have to submit to a SAQA evaluation. International students will also have to upload a copy of the university ledger.
Students in their final year of studies (excluding Unisa students) who do not have an official academic record that states that they’ve completed their qualification will have to submit their official academic record to Unisa by 13 December 2019.
Students who have applied to UNISA prior to 2016 need to resubmit all required documents in order to avoid a delay in processing your application. Note that certain qualifications may require additional documentation. UNISA does reserve the right to request the original documentation in order to verify the submitted documents.
Submitted fraudulent documentation is an offence as stated in the university’s Student Disciplinary Code (SDC) and can result in not being accepted to study at UNISA.
Additionally, submitting the academic record after 13 December will delay the processing of applications.
How Much Does It Cost To Apply At Unisa?
Once an applicant receives a student number from Unisa, all that’s left to do is to pay the non-refundable application fee. The fee is non-refundable – even if an applicant decides to not go through with registration at Unisa or if their application is rejected.
The application fees for 2020 are as follows:
Undergraduate applications
- R110 – online applications
- R170 – hard copy applications (exceptional cases only)
Postgraduate & honours applications
- R110 – online applications
Unisa does not accept cash as payment at any of their campuses. When making the payment, make sure to use the student number you’ve received and the application fee reference number.
Additional info on Unisa’s payment methods and banking details can be found online here.
The due date for the final payment of the application fee is also the final date of the application period. Unisa will not accept any late application fees. Applications that are left unpaid by applicants will not be processed and will be deemed invalid.
Applicants will be notified whether their applications are successful or not. If successful, remember to accept Unisa’s offer within the given timeframe. If your application was unsuccessful, it’s not the end of the road. Always try and try again, not giving up.
Also Read: Guide on Applying to UNISA 2020
Last Updated: 28 November 2019