The University of South Africa (UniSA) is the largest open-distance learning (ODL) institution in Africa and the oldest distance education university in the world. Since UniSA has been a leader in South African education for over 145 years, it is regarded as one of the nation’s most prestigious distance learning institutions.
From short courses and certificate programs to 3- and 4-year degrees, UniSA offers a variety of educational models and degrees to choose from. In this article, we cover the UniSA application, what it entails, the necessary documents to apply at UniSA, how to send documents to UniSA, and more.
If you’re interested in studying at this historic educational institution, continue reading for a complete guide on how to apply to UniSA.
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UniSA Application: How to Apply
As with other prestigious schools, the UniSA application isn’t simple or straightforward. Applications are complex and involve different components, including gathering documents, managing deadlines, etc. This guide will break down the entire UniSA application process and teach you everything you need to know about how to apply for admission at UniSA.
UniSA Application Form
Before starting the application process, ensure that you have an email address, cell phone number, and scans of all the required documents. South African residents will also need an ID number, while foreign applicants will need their passport number to fill out the application form. Check out the UniSA application portal here.
Necessary Documents To Apply at UniSA
In order to successfully complete the application process, students are required to send several educational documents to UniSA. The following are the documents required for all applicants seeking a new qualification
1. School qualifications such as a Senior Certificate or National Senior Certificate
2. Official copies of tertiary academic records
3. ID documents for South African students or passports for international students
4. Marriage certificates or divorce decrees (if applicable)
5. Sworn translations of educational documents if they are not already in either English or Afrikaans
While these are the general documents required, UniSA may require additional documents for some qualifications. Additionally, in case the university needs to verify the authentication of documents at any given time, they may ask for original documents.
How to Send Documents to UniSA
Documents have to be scanned and uploaded to UniSA along with the applications. They can only be sent as individual files and should not be sent as a complete set of documents. Documents also have to be black and white scans since coloured documents are not accepted. All files have to be under 2 MB (2048 KB) each and can only be submitted as the following file types:
1. Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format file (PDF)
2. Word document file (DOC)
3. Image file (TIF)
Closing Date UniSA Application for 2022
Online applications for the 2022/2023 academic year will be accepted until 15th December 2021.
Tax To Apply At UniSA
Students need to pay a non-refundable application fee to apply to UniSA. This is R115 for online applications and R185 for hard copy applications. Please note that hard copy applications are not the norm and are only considered under extenuating circumstances.
Who Can Apply at UniSA
UniSA is open to everyone, from those interested in short learning programs to those interested in undergraduate qualifications, master’s and doctoral degrees, or honours or postgraduate degrees. However, UniSA applicants have to fulfil the college admission requirements for their selected qualifications. This includes minimum academic points score (APS) for different certificates:
• A minimum APS of 15 for a higher certificate
• A minimum APS of 18 for a diploma
• A minimum APS of 21 for a bachelor’s degree
It isn’t just first-time applications that need to apply to UniSA. Current students and graduates from the university starting new qualifications or specializations have to submit applications. Even those who have previously been offered a space at UniSA must re-apply if they did not accept the space or register.
Therefore, make sure to double-check qualifications and scan your documents beforehand so that you’re completely ready to start applying for the 2022 academic year at UniSA.