The North-West University Council (NWU) has resolved to reinstate the R150 and R600 administration fees for South African and international prospective students who submit applications to study at the University. The measure is intended to ensure that applicants are committed to accepting offers from the institution.
NWU Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bismarck Tyobeka, said the decision was taken during the Council’s ordinary meeting to encourage greater commitment from prospective students.
Speaking on YOU FM’s Newshour, Professor Tyobeka said the University has experienced a growing number of accepted applicants delaying confirmation of their offers, while others fail to accept them altogether.
“Consequently, the NWU is unable to accommodate other qualifying applicants because spaces in various programmes across the faculties are reserved for students who ultimately do not register.
This suggests that some applicants submit applications to study at the NWU without any intention of doing so, thereby frustrating those who genuinely wish to study at the University,” said Tyobeka.
He further explained that the process has become increasingly costly for the institution, which has recorded a significant rise in applications over the past three years. This has resulted in the need to employ additional staff to administer applications and follow up with applicants.
“We acknowledge and appreciate the interest shown by prospective students applying for various NWU programmes, and we remain committed to facilitating access and student success.
However, an increasing number of accepted applicants delay confirming their offers and, in many cases, never accept them,” Tyobeka remarked.
The Principal and Vice-Chancellor also highlighted concerns raised by unsuccessful applicants.
“The applications and admissions team, as well as recruitment staff, are inundated with queries and concerns from students whose applications have been unsuccessful due to limited capacity.
These staff members experience burnout and mental health challenges as a result of the unnecessary workload. We also employ additional staff during the applications and admissions period to manage the high volume of prospective students’ queries and complaints,” added Tyobeka.
The University said that unconfirmed offers and delayed registrations contribute to the late commencement of the academic year, negatively affecting both lecturers and students, particularly in programmes that include practical training.
“These include Nursing, Pharmacy, Agriculture and Animal Health,” said Tyobeka.
He also called on the Department of Higher Education and Training to fast-track the long-awaited Central Application System (CAS).
“There has been discussion around this system long before I became Vice-Chancellor. The idea was to introduce a Central Application System through which students could submit applications free of charge. The system would then filter applications according to students’ choices across different universities, reducing the administrative burden on individual institutions,” explained Tyobeka.
Meanwhile, the University Management Committee has reaffirmed the implementation of the Council’s resolution and remains satisfied that the measure serves the best interests of both prospective students and the University.
