Cape Town - In a bid to ensure all students are registered at Stellenbosch University (SU), its Student Representative Council (SRC) launched the #RegistrationAll campaign which calls for public donations to fund the needy.
SRC spokesman James de Villiers said student leaders were working tirelessly to counter the exclusion of students at the university.
He said: “We believe that no financial limitation should keep accepted students from studying at any South African institution.”
De Villiers said #RegistrationAll appealed to the broader public, university staff and alumni.
He urged students to stand together and help raise funds for other students to register.
“We need your help to assist in paying the registration fees of all academically deserving students that are sent home because they are unable to pay.
“We are saying #AccessToAll and we are asking everyone to invest in the future of South Africa.”
De Villiers said over the past few days they have seen a number of students from the Eastern Cape struggle to get accommodation because they had not paid their registration.
“The thing is if you do not register, you are unable to get accommodation.”
He said some students whose parents fell under middle-class income bracket do not qualify for the National Students Financial aid Scheme and couldn’t get bursaries.
De Villiers said: “The majority of students need help in securing registration fees.
“This is not only a SU issue, this is a South African issue and we are calling on our government to find solutions.”
SU spokesman Martin Viljoen said the university’s management supported the SRC’s initiative.
He said management would meet with the SRC to discuss ways in which the university could help raise funds for deserving and needy students.
Viljoen said: “Supporting the initiative will be above and beyond the financial support already given to students in financial need.
“In 2016, SU will pay out more than R650 million in bursaries to undergraduate and postgraduate students (merit bursaries included).
“This amounts to 55 percent of all the income from student fees paid out as bursaries.”
Viljoen said the university does not have a registration fee, but requires the first instalment of the study fees.
The first instalment amounted to R10 512 for undergraduate students, while postgraduates paid R7 665.
Viljoen said students who are unable to make first instalment payments on registration days can apply for a delayed payment, which means they can pay the first instalment over the first three months of the year.
To make a contribution, people can deposit any amount into the #RegisterAll bank account:
Account number: 1007 842 6926
Branch number: 051001