UASf: Universities cannot operate without registration fees
Universities South Africa (USAf) has encouraged students to make use of the Department of Higher Education's Central Application Clearing House (CACH) online system.
Institutions of higher learning are gearing up for the 2019 academic year with many students battling to find placement.
USAf’s Ahmed Bawa says walk-in applications would be advised to make use of the CACH system.
"There are some universities which have the facilities for walk-in students, but its the minority of universities. The majority of universities would have had an application process which ended sometime last year in October. If students do pitch up at a certain university, like the University of Johannesburg for example, they will be directed to the off-site campuses where they will be advised on what steps to take.”
On Monday, the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) announced that they have written a letter to the department demanding that the minister scrap registration fees.
Also Read: EFFSC warns of ‘anarchy’ if registration fees are not scrapped
Bawa, however, says registration fees are fundamental for universities to operate.
"Students who have been awarded one of the new bursaries, in other words students who have fallen into the new bursary category - and there will be approximately 100 000 students and returning students who have those bursaries - will not be required to pay a registration fee.
"However, for other students who fall outside of the category of students who have qualified for the new bursaries, for them the students will be required to pay a registration fee because of the need for universities to be able to operate for the first part of the year.”