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How Wits helps students to register

- Wits University

Wits is committed to assisting academically talented students to register as far as our resources allow.

In 2025, Wits disbursed R2,3 billion in student financial aid, scholarships and bursaries that helped 29 871 students.

Breakdown of funding

Financial Assistance in 2026

Wits has made several concessions to enable students  to register for the 2026 academic year, including the following:

  • Students who owe R10 000 or less can register for the new academic year.
  • Students who owe more than R10 000 and who have a gross household income of less than R600 000 have applied to the Wits Registration Assistance Fund (WRAF) for registration and accommodation support. This Fund assists academically deserving, missing middle students who meet the Fund’s criteria. Successful applicants receive 50% of the outstanding debt, capped at a maximum of R50 000. For 2026, R20 million was made available in this Fund and applications to this Fund.
  • As far as resources allow, the University agrees to enable the registration of undergraduate academically deserving students (with PCD and RET codes only) with an outstanding debt of less than R120 000, provided that they sign an AOD.
  • Qualifying (PCD and RET) undergraduate students who have been approved for assistance by either the Wits Registration Assistance Fund or the Wits SRC Access Fund can register, provided that their debt is less than R120 000 after having received assistance from these Funds, and that they sign an AOD.
  • Students with historic debt of less than R120 000 who have secured funding for 2026 can register if they sign a Sponsorship Acknowledgement of Debt (SAOD).
  • Students with a gross household income of less than R600 000 can register if they pay 50% of the historical debt and sign an AOD.
  • Students who cannot make the first payment can apply for a postponement on the Student Self-Service portal.
  • If the National Students’ Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has not paid a qualifying student’s prior year debt, the student may sign a NSFAS AOD, and if there is no own debt, the student can register.
  • A local student who has been provisionally offered a Postgraduate Merit Award will be cleared for registration if they owe less than R10 000. Should they have outstanding debt of more than R10 000 they can pay 50% of this debt, sign an AOD, and make payments arrangements with the Finance Office to enable registration.


Additional Sources of Funding

  • Students have also applied to the SRC’s Access Fund for assistance. Wits has matched the SRC’s fundraising efforts rand for rand and about R6 million was disbursed in recent weeks to help students to register.
  • Students can register on the Discretionary Funding Portal that matches academically talented students with bursaries or donations as they become available, in line with the criteria of the external funders.


Registration Assistance

About 98% of all Wits students are registered for the 2026 academic Year. As at 20 February, Wits has registered 40 356 students and we are almost at capacity. Postgraduate registration intakes continue throughout the year.

Wits extended its registration to 17 February 2026. First year students have been on campus since 19 January, whilst returning students are completing the third week of the academic programme. There are three weeks left of the first term and registering students at this late stage puts them at a major disadvantage. Despite this, Wits has agreed that students who have received funding from the Wits Registration Assistance Fund and the Wits SRC Access Fund be allowed to register this week on a case by case basis, provided that they meet the relevant academic criteria.


Accommodation Concessions

Wits has made every effort to ensure that residences remain affordable. There was a 0% residence fee increase in 2025 for most residences, and a 4.2% increase in 2026, less that the ministerial recommendation of 6.2%.

  • Students who cannot afford it, can apply for a postponement of the residence deposit.
  • Former NSFAS beneficiaries affected by the accommodation cap introduced in 2023 are cleared for registration, upon them signing an AOD. Residence offers to NSFAS beneficiaries will be considered for admission to Wits residences, should they meet all residence admissions requirements, for students who may have a residence shortfall because of the NSFAS accommodation cap.


International Students

  • Returning international students who have no historic debt and are academically sound, can register for 2026, provided that they have made a 50% upfront payment on this year’s fees and arrangements with the finance office.


Graduates

  • Students who have completed their degree and who owe less than R15 000 are allowed to graduate if they sign an AOD.
  • Students who have completed their qualifications and owe more than R15 000, have access to their transcripts and letters from the University to assist them in securing employment. Faculty offices can issue final year students with propensity letters if required, to confirm their academic status to assist them in seeking funding and securing employment.

These are just some of the ways in which Wits helps students to access higher education.

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