About registering with tertiary institution
To further your studies, you can register at a university, university of technology or further education and training (FET) college of your choice, if you qualify.
Tertiary institutions are public universities, universities of technology, private providers and public and private further education and training colleges. Universities offer academic and professional programmes, while universities of technology and further education and training colleges offer vocational-oriented programmes.
The minimum admission requirement for university undergraduate studies is a National Senior Certificate with endorsement. If you are 23 years or older and you do not have a National Senior Certificate with endorsement, you can apply for conditional exemption when you apply for admission to the university of your choice. Institutions have various requirements for admission to the programmes they offer.
If you are an international student, you must first apply for a study permit at the South African High Commission, Embassy, Consulate or Trade Mission in your country of origin. Your foreign qualifications must first be evaluated by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA) before you register. Evaluations may take up to 16 days.