CAPE TOWN - Students who have not applied for the 2022 academic year or applied late might have to further their studies in other tertiary institutions as most Western Cape universities have reached their intake capacity.
Stellenbosch University (SU) has projected 30 470 student enrolments for this academic year, and has received about 55 000 first-year applications.
Marick Hornsveld, the university’s digital communication deputy-director, said the institution has made about 12 000 conditional offers.
“SU has reached its full capacity in terms of offers made to qualifying applicants for the 2022 intake. Applications closed in 2021, and SU can unfortunately not consider walk-in applications.”
Hornsveld said the university’s residence placements have also reached full capacity for this year’s intake, but the process of accrediting private accommodation was ongoing.
UWC has received 114 000 applications, with more than 90 000 of these for first-time entry.
The university’s spokesperson, Gasant Abarder, said the full selection process of first-entering students will begin after the matric results are published.
“We are only accepting 4 500 new students, the target was set in consultation with the Department of Higher Education and Training, and we have more than enough applications for the spaces we have available. Therefore we are not accepting late applications.
“Any person wishing to apply after the closing dates must apply via the central applications-clearing house (information available on our website).
Registration will be conducted online via the student portal and e-advising platforms,” said Abarder.
He said residences were undergoing routine maintenance and interim Covid- 19 policy compliance as the academic year begins on February 14.
UWC’s interim policy for access for students and staff came into effect last Monday.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said they had capacity to accommodate about 4 200 first-entering students who had applied by the closing date in August 2021.
He said their residences are to open on January 29, and provisional offers for accommodation have been made to new and returning students who have applied for residence.
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) spokesperson Lauren Kansley said the number of their first- entering students would be shared soon.
“Current Covid-19 safety protocols at the institution mean we are not processing physical walk-ins.
“Once the late application window reopens later this month, we encourage online applications (in courses with space only).
“CPUT has had a very proactive approach to residence accommodation in the past few years, and we currently have more beds available than students require,” she said.
Kansley said they were also actively upgrading the existing ones.
Cape Times