Don’t miss one
Dates that matter
When applications close, when you can write the NBT, when NSFAS closes and when universities open their doors.
Read this first
These are dates for the 2027 intake (you apply during Grade 12 in 2026). Most have already passed. The 2028 dates have not been published, and we won’t guess them – check each university from early next year. Still-open dates are at the top below.
-
7 March 2026
Open day UKZN – UKZN Open Day 2026 - Westville
UKZN’s 2027 open day dates had not been announced when we checked.
From our research - not re-checked yet studyatukzn.ukzn.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
7 March 2026
Open day UP – UP NextGen Open Day 2026
Grade 8 to 12 learners with parents and teachers; free
UP’s 2027 date had not been announced when we checked.
From our research - not re-checked yet up.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
14 March 2026
Open day UKZN – UKZN Open Day 2026 - Pietermaritzburg
From our research - not re-checked yet studyatukzn.ukzn.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
1 April 2026
Applications open TUT – Applications opened
TUT programmes may close when full. We did not find a single closing date.
From our research - not re-checked yet tut.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
1 April 2026
Applications open UFS – Applications opened
From our research - not re-checked yet apply.ufs.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
13 April 2026
Applications open NMU – Applications opened
We did not find NMU’s closing date.
From our research - not re-checked yet mandela.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
18 April 2026
Open day SU – Stellenbosch Open Day 2026
Grade 11 and 12 learners, parents, teachers and guidance counsellors
There was also an Online Open Day from 20 April to 31 July 2026.
Checked on an official page files.su.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
25 April 2026
Open day UCT – UCT Open Day 2026
From our research - not re-checked yet news.uct.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
9 May 2026
Open day NWU – NWU Open Day 2026 - Potchefstroom
Vanderbijlpark was 16 May and Mahikeng 23 May 2026. NWU’s 2027 dates had not been announced.
From our research - not re-checked yet studies.nwu.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
16 May 2026
Open day NWU – NWU Open Day 2026 - Vanderbijlpark
From our research - not re-checked yet studies.nwu.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
23 May 2026
Open day NWU – NWU Open Day 2026 - Mahikeng
From our research - not re-checked yet studies.nwu.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 May 2026
Applications UFS – Health programmes close
MBChB, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Physiotherapy, Radiation Science, Biokinetics, Dietetics, Sports Coaching
Checked on an official page apply.ufs.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
1 June 2026
Applications open NWU – Applications opened
NWU’s site currently shows undergraduate applications as closed. Check studies.nwu.ac.za.
From our research - not re-checked yet studies.nwu.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 June 2026
Applications Wits – Health Sciences applications close
Health Sciences (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy ...)
Wits says applications open in March. The Bachelor of Arts in Film & Television (BAFT) portfolio was due 31 August 2026 (research pack). We did not find a single closing date for Wits’s other faculties.
From our research - not re-checked yet wits.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 June 2026
Applications UP – Most applications close
Most programmes; Veterinary Science closed 31 May 2026
Grade 12 applicants apply using their final Grade 11 results. Always check the programme’s own date.
From our research - not re-checked yet drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 June 2026
Applications UKZN – Medicine (MBChB) applications close
Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine
Checked on an official page studyatukzn.ukzn.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 July 2026
Applications UCT – Applications close
All undergraduate programmes
From the UCT 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus.
From our research - not re-checked yet uct.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 July 2026
Applications UFS – Nursing, Social Work and Architecture close
Checked on an official page apply.ufs.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 July 2026
Applications SMU – Undergraduate applications closed
From our research - not re-checked yet smu.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 July 2026
NBT SU – NBT deadline for Law
LLB and BA Law: AQL. BCom (Law) and BAccLLB: AQL and MAT.
Checked on an official page files.su.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
15 August 2026
Open day Wits – Wits Parents Day 2026
Prospective students and their families, hosted by the Schools Liaison Office
We did not find a general Wits open day. Ask the Schools Liaison Office about 2027.
From our research - not re-checked yet wits.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
17 August 2026
NBT Wits – NBT deadline for Health Sciences
Must be written in person; online NBTs are not considered
From our research - not re-checked yet wits.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 August 2026
Applications UFS – International undergraduate applications close
Checked on an official page apply.ufs.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
18 September 2026 → 18 November 2026
Funding NSFAS 2027 applications
South African students planning to study at a public university or TVET college
Opened 18 September 2026 and closes 18 November 2026; successful applicants hear in December. NSFAS is a separate application from your university application. One secondary website gave 31 October and another snippet showed a different date - the Minister’s launch speech and the SAnews report, both 18 September 2026, say 18 November, so we use that. Always check nsfas.org.za.
Checked on an official page gov.za (opens the official page)
-
30 September 2026
Applications UKZN – Applications close
Colleges of Agriculture, Engineering & Science; Humanities; Law & Management Studies; and the other Health Sciences programmes
First-time South African applicants apply through the CAO.
Checked on an official page studyatukzn.ukzn.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 September 2026
Applications UFS – All other programmes close
All other selection and non-selection programmes, and transferring students
Checked on an official page apply.ufs.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 September 2026
Applications Rhodes – Online applications close
Applications opened 1 April
Checked on an official page ru.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 September 2026
Applications UWC – Applications close
Undergraduate; Dentistry closed 31 August 2026
From our research - not re-checked yet uwc.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 September 2026
Applications CPUT – Applications close
South African applicants
From our research - not re-checked yet cput.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 September 2026
Applications CUT – Applications close
From our research - not re-checked yet cut.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 September 2026
Applications DUT – Applications close
Via the CAO
From our research - not re-checked yet dut.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 September 2026 → 30 November 2026
Applications MUT – Applications close
Via the CAO; late applications are accepted until 30 November with a CAO late fee
From our research - not re-checked yet mut.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
3 October 2026
NBT UCT – Final NBT date for UCT
From our research - not re-checked yet uct.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 October 2026
Applications WSU – Applications close
From our research - not re-checked yet wsu.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 October 2026
Applications UFH – Applications close
From our research - not re-checked yet ufh.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 October 2026
Applications SPU – Applications close
SPU’s page still carries an out-of-date year label in places - confirm on the page.
From our research - not re-checked yet spu.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
31 October 2026
NBT Wits – NBT for Science applicants
Science applicants - "before the end of October"
The date is the research pack’s wording ("before the end of October"); confirm the exact day on Wits’s Science course pages.
From our research - not re-checked yet wits.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
30 November 2026
Applications UMP – Applications close
From our research - not re-checked yet ump.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
10 April 2027
Open day UCT – UCT Open Day 2027
Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners, families and teachers; on campus
Checked on an official page uct.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
17 April 2027
Open day SU – Stellenbosch Open Day 2027
Undergraduate, on campus
Seen in an excerpt of SU’s official site; SU’s new website blocks automated access, so confirm the date on su.ac.za.
From our research - not re-checked yet su.ac.za (opens the official page)
Nothing to show with those filters. Try “Show dates that have passed”.
Dates we couldn’t pin down
-
Date not confirmed
Applications VUT – Applications close - SOURCES DISAGREE
VUT’s how-to-apply page says 30 October 2026 but its homepage banner says 30 September 2026. Ask VUT before relying on either.
Could not be confirmed vut.ac.za (opens the official page)
-
Date not confirmed
NBT NBT sittings run from May until the first Saturday in January
Everyone who needs the NBT
You book a specific date and venue on the NBT website; changes are allowed until that sitting’s closing date. Each university sets its own deadline for receiving results - these can be as early as June or July.
Checked on an official page nbt.ac.za (opens the official page)
Open days: what’s next?
Open days are on a Saturday in March–May at most universities. Only some have announced 2027 dates.
Checked on an official page UCT – 10 April 2027 · Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners, families and teachers; on campus uct.ac.za (opens the official page)
From our research - not re-checked yet SU – 17 April 2027 (08:00-15:00) · Undergraduate, on campus su.ac.za (opens the official page)
Not announced yet when we checked: Wits, UP, UKZN, UJ, UWC, NWU, UFS. Their 2026 events have passed (show past dates above to see them). Follow the links below for the next announcement.
- UFS: UFS events hub (opens the official page) From our research - not re-checked yet
- UWC: UWC annual open day (opens the official page) From our research - not re-checked yet
- UJ: UJ news and events (opens the official page) From our research - not re-checked yet
Many universities also run campus tours and online sessions outside the main open day. Ask the university’s recruitment or schools-liaison office.
What does applying cost?
Some universities charge nothing. Never pay anyone to “secure” your application.
| University | Application fee | How sure? |
|---|---|---|
| University of the Witwatersrand | R100 | Checked on an official page wits.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| University of Cape Town | R100 (South Africa/SADC) – free for UCT students and graduates | Checked on an official page uct.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| Stellenbosch University | R100 (South African citizens, permanent residents, refugees) | From our research - not re-checked yet sun.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| University of Pretoria | R300 – waived if household income is R150,000/year or less | From our research - not re-checked yet up.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| University of the Free State | Free | Checked on an official page apply.ufs.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| University of KwaZulu-Natal | R250 (paid to the CAO, non-refundable) | Checked on an official page studyatukzn.ukzn.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| University of Johannesburg | Free when you apply online (a fee applies to paper applications) | From our research - not re-checked yet uj.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| Central University of Technology | Free | From our research - not re-checked yet cut.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| Tshwane University of Technology | R240 | From our research - not re-checked yet tut.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University | R300 | From our research - not re-checked yet smu.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| University of Limpopo | R200 | From our research - not re-checked yet ul.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| University of Mpumalanga | R200 | From our research - not re-checked yet ump.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| University of Fort Hare | R120 | From our research - not re-checked yet ufh.ac.za (opens the official page) |
| Walter Sisulu University | R100 | From our research - not re-checked yet wsu.ac.za (opens the official page) |
Only universities where we found a fee are listed. For the rest, check the application page.