Cape Town - Tertiary institutions said they don’t have enough space for all the students that want to study and will finalise their admissions this week.
This following the release of the matric results, which saw 76.2% pass rate, with 24 244 learners passing their 2020 national senior certificate (NSC) examinations.
Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande said as the post-school education and training sector, they are ready to receive a new cohort of first-time entrants to all institutions of higher education and training.
“As we head into a new academic year, it is important to remember that admissions’ decisions are made by individual universities and colleges, and that institutions have staggered registrations for continuing and new students,” said Nzimande.
He said due to the limited spaces in universities and colleges, meeting the minimum requirements does not mean a space for everyone who applied.
Stellenbosch University spokesperson Martin Viljoen said the university received matric results on Tuesday and would now start with the process of making final offers to first year students. That process should be completed by Friday.
UWC spokesperson Gasant Abarder said UWC started extending acceptance offers to prospective first-time entry students on Tuesday.
Abarder said the university could only admit 4 500 first time entry students, as that number was set by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley said at this stage the university has space for 7 370 first-time entering students in undergraduate courses.
“So far, we have received over 65 000 applications.”
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said registration for first-time entering undergraduate students was scheduled to take place next Monday.
Moholola said the total number of prospective first-time entering undergraduate students, who have applied to study at UCT in 2021, was 44 600, saying that the overall number of first-time entering applicants in 2021 has increased by about 42%.
"The university has the capacity to enrol 4 200 first-year students in 2021," said Moholola.
Cape Argus