Update on Registration and Financial Assistance

3 February 2026 - Wits University

Wits has opened the 2026 academic year with extended registration and added financial support for qualifying students.

Registrations

To date, 37 207 students have registered - this includes about 6 000 first year students and 11 484 postgraduate students - postgraduate intakes continue throughout the year.

We have extended the registration period to Tuesday, 17 February 2026 to allow for as many academically qualifying students to register as possible.

Financial Assistance

In 2025, Wits administered approximately R2,3 billion in financial aid, scholarships and bursaries that assisted 29 871 students^[i].

To assist students in 2026, we have made the following allowances:

• ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs who owe R10 000 or less can register for the new academic year.
  
  
• ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs 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 are now closed.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs 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).
  
  
• ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs with a gross household income of less than R600 000 can register if they pay 50% of the historical debt and sign an AOD.
  
  
• ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs who cannot make the first payment can apply for a postponement on the ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃû Self-Service portal.
  
  
• If the National ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs’ 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.
  
  
• Wits has made every effort to ensure that residences remain affordable. ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs who cannot afford it, can apply for a postponement of the residence deposit. 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%.
  
  
• 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. Upon taking up this offer, students will have to sign the AOD.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• ×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs who have completed their degree and who owe less than R15 000 are allowed to graduate.

Propensity Letters

×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs 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.

Additional Sources of Funding

×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs can also apply to the SRC’s Access Fund for assistance. We will match the SRC’s fundraising efforts rand for rand.

×ãÇò¾º²ÊappÅÅÃûs should also 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.

Our Commitment

Wits remains committed to enabling access to higher education within the limits of available resources and whilst safeguarding the long-term sustainability of our University, especially given that student debt totals approximately R1,5 billion.

We will continue working with the SRC to address issues related to registration, student funding and other matters. We welcome donations for student funding which can be made through the Development and Fundraising Office or via this website: /givingtowits/.

[i] _{As of November 2025}