With the 2024 final matric results pending, prospective students across South Africa are gearing up for the 2025 academic year. South African universities have also announced the opening dates for their 2025 registration periods.
These dates mark a crucial period for prospective and returning students to secure their spots at various institutions and begin their journey toward academic and career success.
Each university has its own specific timeline for registration. Here is a summary of the key dates for some of the major universities.
University Registration Dates For 2025
The following Universities have announced their registration dates for 2025:
| University | First-Time Entering Students | Returning Students |
|---|---|---|
| Stellenbosch University | 15 - 25 January | 15 January - 8 February |
| University of the Western Cape | 8 - 31 January | 8 January - 7 February |
| University of Cape Town | 6 January - 14 February | 6 January - 14 February |
| University of the Free State | 7 January - 7 February | 7 January - 7 February |
| University of Johannesburg | 14 January - 7 February | 14 January - 7 February |
| University of Kwazulu-Natal | 7 January - 14 February | 7 January - 14 February |
| Tshwane University of Technology | 16 January - 2 February | 16 January - 2 February |
| Central University of Technology | 22 - 27 January | 28 - 31 January |
| Durban University of Technology | 13 January - 7 February | 13 January - 7 February |
| Mangosuthu University of Technology | 27 January - 7 February | 27 January - 7 February |
| Rhodes University | 1 - 2 February | 1 - 2 February |
| Walter Sisulu University | 8 - 31 January | 8 - 31 January |
| Unisa | 8 January - 21 February | 8 January - 21 February |
| Wits | Depends on faculty | Depends on faculty |
| University of Pretoria | 19 January | 3 February |
| Nelson Mandela University | 13 January | 13 January |
| Sol Plaatje University | 3 February - 14 February | 20 January - 14 February |
| North West University | 20 January - 24 February | 27 January - 6 February |
| Sefako Makgatho University | TBA | 6 - 17 January |
| University of Fort Hare | 13 - 2 February | 13 - 2 February |
| University of Zululand | 27 - 31 January | 3 -7 February |
| University of Limpopo | 23 - 31 January/3-7 February | 10-17 January/20-24 January |
| Cape Peninsula University of Technology | 21 January - 7 February | 13 January - 31 January |
| University of Mpumalanga | 2 January - 7 February | 2 January - 14 February |
Universities South Africa (USAf) announced that university outcome letters will be released by universities on 14 January, after matric results are released.
So3uth Africa is home to 26 public Universities which offer a range of courses at various levels, including undergraduate, postgraduate and Masters and Doctoral studies. USAf also revealed that sixteen universities will commence with the 2025 academic year in January and ten universities in February.
