With less than two months left before the academic year draws to an end, Grade 12 pupils have been advised to finalise their higher education applications for 2021 before it's too late.
Independent Institute of Education general manager Peter Kriel advised matrics not to wait until February next year when results are released, before finalising their applications.
“Beyond a later start to the higher education academic year, it is still not clear what else higher education will need to do in response to Covid-19 in 2021, but so many lessons have been learnt that most institutions are feeling confident about navigating the year ahead,” he said.
Kriel said the deadline for enrolments at many public and private institutions was only a month away.
“Particularly for full-time, contact undergraduate programmes, where there is much competition for a limited amount of space, prospective students need to make a commitment as soon as possible,” he said.
At some institutions, and for some qualifications such as diplomas or higher certificate programmes, applications may remain open for longer, but will close as soon as the intake capacity is reached.
Kriel urged learners to use their study downtime to investigate prospective higher education institutions and courses they are interested in.
“Prospective students should look at qualifications that make real-world sense and are geared towards getting them ready for a competitive and ever-evolving job market.
“And they need to identify those institutions where students were able to continue studying mostly uninterrupted during the lockdown, with the kind of support that ensured they could continue to deliver to their best ability,” said Kriel.
Grade 12 pupils were encouraged to look at the prospectuses of more than one higher education institution and consider the track record of alumni from specific institutions, and the value a specific qualification has within an industry.
“Don’t wait and see when it comes to next year. The logistics will fall in place, but you need to make your move soon to ensure a smooth continuation of your educational journey in 2021,” Kriel said.