The Opening Date For University Applications In 2026. As the 2025 academic year is underway, it’s essential to stay informed about the opening dates for 2026 university applications. Each university in South Africa has specific deadlines, and it’s important not to miss them. Below are the opening and closing dates for various institutions you should consider:
Table of Contents
Tshwane University of Technology
- Opening date: 4 March 2025
- Closing date: 30 September 2025
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
- Opening date: 6 March 2025
- Closing date:
- 30 June 2025 (Faculty of Health Sciences [all programmes], Bachelor of Architecture, Bachelor of Audiology, Bachelor of Speech-Language Pathology, BA Film and TV)
- 30 September 2025 (all other university programmes)
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)
- Opening date: 16 May 2025
- Closing date:
- 28 July 2025 (Teaching courses, Bachelor in Nursing)
- 28 September 2025 (other programmes)
University of the Western Cape (UWC)
- Opening date: 13 April 2025
- Closing date: 30 September 2025
University of Cape Town (UCT)
- Opening date: 3 April 2025
- Closing date: 31 July 2025
Stellenbosch University (SU)
- Opening date: 3 April 2025
- Closing date: 31 July 2025
Rhodes University (RU)
- Opening date: 31 May 2025
- Closing date: 30 September 2025
Vaal University of Technology (VUT)
- Opening date: May 2025
- Closing date: 30 September 2025
Central University of Technology (CUT)
- Opening date: 31 March 2025
- Closing date: 29 September 2025
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)
- Opening date: 3 April 2023
- Closing date: 28 July 2023
Sol Plaatje University (SPU)
- Opening date: sometime around July or August 2025
- Closing date: to be announced
Nelson Mandela University (NMU)
- Opening date: 3 April 2025
- Closing date: 29 September 2025
North West University (NWU)
- Opening date: 3 April 2025
- Closing date: to be announced
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
- Opening date: 1 April 2025
- Closing date: 31 October 2025
University of Limpopo (UL)
- Opening date: 8 March 2025
- Closing date:
- 28 July 2025 (MBChB)
- 29 September 2025 (all other programmes)
University of the Free State (UFS)
- Opening date: 5 April 2025
- Closing date: 30 September 2025
University of Venda (Univen)
- Opening date: 2 May 2025
- Closing date: 27 September 2025
University of Zululand (Unizulu)
- Opening date: 1 April 2025
- Closing date: 30 September 2025
University of South Africa (Unisa)
- Opening date: 11 August 2025
- Closing date: 15 October 2025
University of Fort Hare (UFH)
- Opening date: 1 June 2025
- Closing date: 30 October 2023
Walter Sisulu University (WSU)
- Opening date: 2 May 2023
- Closing date:
- 30 September 2025 (Health Science)
- 31 October 2025 (all other programmes)
University of Pretoria (UP)
- Opening date: 1 April 2025
- Closing date:
- 31 May 2025 (Faculty of Veterinary Science)
- 30 June 2025 (all other faculties)
Please note that these dates may be subject to change throughout the year. The following universities are yet to announce their opening and closing dates for 2026 applications:
- Sol Plaatje University
- Durban University of Technology
- Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT)
- University of Mpumalanga (UMP)
- University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
- North West University (NWU)
Stay updated by regularly visiting these university websites to ensure you don’t miss the application deadlines and the opportunity to study next year.
