The North-West University (NWU), Sol Plaatje University (SPU), and the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) will not be allowing walk-in students for the 2025 application process.

Walk-in refers mostly to non-accepted students who still want to study but do not meet the criteria or did not apply for admission.

“In accordance with its internal processes and procedures, the North-West University does not allow for a so-called walk-in application process for first-year students in 2025,” said NWU corporate communication director Louis Jacobs.

“This means that persons who did not receive an offer to study at the NWU or who applied for admission after the closure of the application period will not be able to make an application at this point.”

NWU reached its full capacity for its 2025 intake and received 390 000 applications and only 11 754 can be accommodated in terms of the approved enrolment targets by the department of higher education and training.

SPU received 48 974 applications from prospective first-year students, “and according to the enrolment planning only 2 273 places have been earmarked for first-year students,” said SPU spokesperson Kashini Maistry.

VUT received 330 302 applications from prospective students and “the university only has space for 5 558 first-year students,” said VUT communication officer Nontobeko Moimane.

‘Students with unsuccessful applications should register online on the CACH website’

News 24 reports the highest number of applications at nine of the 20 universities were for the Bachelor of Education (B Ed) degree.

“The 26 public universities would not be able to take in all 337 158 matriculants who were admitted to bachelor's programmes,” said Higher Education and etraining minister Nobuhle Nkabane. “Room has to be made for the 444 000 returning students who must complete and make room for more matriculants.”

Central University of Technology

The Central University of Technology (CUT) will not accept late applications or walk-in applications for the 2025 academic year.

Students with unsuccessful applications should register online on the Central Applications Clearing House (CACH) website for consideration at various universities depending on the availability of spaces.

‘CUT will not accept late applications or walk-in applications’

The national CACH sign-up service aims to provide unsuccessful applicants with access to career development services and, where possible, an opportunity to access spaces still available at other higher-education institutions.

OFM News reached out to the University of the Free State, no response has been received yet.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame cg