Durban - The suspense is over for the 97 144 KwaZulu-Natal pupils who have passed their matric exams, but now the drama and the suspense of getting a place at university begins.
There were 35 7240 bachelors passes in KZN, and the province’s four public universities have received a combined 278 000 applications for the 23 000 available first-year spaces.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal, which proved the most popular of the four universities, received 90 000 applications for their 8 400 undergraduate places.
The Durban University of Technology has about 7 200 spaces for 79 000 applicants, while the Mangosuthu University of Technology in uMlazi has 3 500 places for nearly 40 000 applicants.
The University of Zululand had 71 000 applications for its 3 900 spaces.
UKZN spokesman, Lesiba Seshoka, said admission into the university was “highly competitive” adding online registration would open on Tuesday on the university website.
On campus registration would open from February 2, and lectures for this academic year will commence on February 9.
“Students can register from home or in dedicated local area networks on campus. First-year students who wish to use this service are advised to come to campus where assistance on the use of this facility will be provided. Information about student orientation, parents’ day, registration dates, venues, fees and payments are available online,” he said.
Seshoka said applicants with “excellent” matric results could be considered on January 9th, where spaces were still available.
“Those who meet the requirements will need to complete and submit application forms together with the required documentation, and pay a late application fee of R400 to the university.
“Colleges will consider these applications, but no places are guaranteed,” he said.
DUT spokesman, Alan Khan, said the university intended to meet its enrolment targets in all programmes this year, but said no walk-in applications would be accepted.
“DUT does not accept walk-in applications. The university has made student pre-selections, and we are not encouraging walk-ins.
“However, after registration, we will consider accepting late applicants, if space allows us to do so,” Khan said.
MUT spokeswoman, Mbali Mkhize, said of the university’s 40 000-odd applications, human resources, information technology, public management, agriculture and electrical engineering were the most popular choices.
She said the university would not accept any walk-in applicants and said they would be referred back to the Central Applications Office, and the university’s Central Applications Clearing House.
UniZul spokeswoman, Normah Zondo, said social work, education, nursing, accounting and arts were the most popular courses on offer.
“No walk-ins will be considered unless there are still spaces available in some programmes,” she said.
Daily News