FAQ 

Why choose to study at the Unisa College of Human Sciences?

• Easy admission
• Reasonable fees
• Unisa’s internationally acclaimed expertise in distance learning
• Tuition by highly qualified staff
• Ability to study at your own pace and in your own time
• Examination centres anywhere in the world
• A wide variety of programmes/courses to choose from
• Access to the largest study and research library in southern Africa

How to study through Unisa?

Unisa is a distance education university. This means that you study primarily on your own, and therefore need to be a disciplined learner. When you register, you will be supplied with study guides, but you will have to buy the prescribed books. Recommended books with additional information are available at the Unisa library or other libraries.
Although the greater part of your studies will take place at home, you can contact lecturers and other students by means of the following:

What support is offered to me as a Unisa student?

Discussion classes
Depending on student enrolments, discussion classes take place once or twice a year. During these classes your learning programme is discussed, as well as any problems you may have. You will also have the opportunity to meet your lecturers and fellow students. Details of discussion classes will be sent to you in tutorial letters.

Contact with lecturers
Your lecturers will keep in touch with you by means of tutorial letters. The purpose of these tutorial letters is to discuss assignments, to give you general advice about the module you are studying and to give you information about the discussion classes. You may make an appointment to visit lecturers at the office or contact them by telephone, fax or letter. Alternatively, you may use email via myUnisa. 

Study groups
We advise all our students to form study groups and to have contact with fellow students. If you wish to contact fellow students with the view to forming informal study groups (ISGs), you should write to the Registrar (Academic), or to your specific department’s Learner Support Committee or telephone (012) 429 4131 (our international number is +27 12 429 4131). You may also use the student forums on https://my.unisa.ac.za/portal/  to discuss your studies with other students.

Provincial centres
You may register at any of our campuses or provincial centres (please note that to register, you actually have to go to the centre in person). When you register, you will receive your initial study material from the same centre. Please also note that you can pay your accounts, make enquiries about the subjects you want to study and consult the library’s collection at any of our provincial centres.

What are the admission requirements?

To be registered as a candidate for a degree, a student must hold one of the following certificates:

1. A Senior Certificate with a Matriculation or university admissions endorsement issued by the South African Certification Council
2. A Matriculation Certificate issued by the Matriculation Board
3. A Senior or School Leaving Certificate with a Matriculation exemption endorsement signed by the Secretary of the Matriculation Board
4. A certificate of full or conditional exemption from the Matriculation examination issued by the Matriculation Board
5. An exemption certificate or conditional exemption certificate issued by the Matriculation Board of the Committee of University Principals (now known as the South African Universities Vice-Chancellors’ Association (SAUVCA) (e.g. for persons who have attained the age of 23 years on or before 31 December of the academic year in question and have passed at least FOUR approved subjects in the Senior Certificate or equivalent examination [with minimum E-symbol], at least one of which must be on Higher Grade). Applications and enquiries must be addressed to the Access and Matriculation Exemption Office by e-mail: ame@unisa.ac.za or study-info@unisa.ac.za. Candidates who first obtained a Senior or School Leaving certificate (grd 12) without exemption/ university admission and have then completed an approved three- or four-year diploma may normally apply to the University for an exemption certificate. Applications and enquiries must be addressed to the Access and Matriculation Exemption Office by e-mail: ame@unisa.ac.za, or study-info@unisa.ac.za
6. A certificate of Senate Discretionary conditional exemption issued on completion of the Access Programme
7. Approved qualifications obtained outside the Republic of South Africa: Contact the Access and Matriculation Exemption Office by e-mail: ame@unisa.ac.za, or study-info@unisa.ac.za

Conditional Exemption on grounds of mature age (+23) (Std 10/Grade 12 students):

• Will you be at least 23 years old in the year that you register?
• Did you pass at least four Grade 12 subjects on Higher Grade or Standard Grade with symbols A-E?
• Were at least three subjects passed at one examination sitting?
• Was at least one subject passed on Higher Grade?
• If you answered “YES” to all the above questions you may apply for conditional exemption on grounds of mature age.
• If you answered “NO” to any of the above questions it appears that you do not qualify

For further information please contact:
Access and Matriculation Exemption Office, by e-mail: ame@unisa.ac.za, or study-info@unisa.ac.za

Conditional Exemption on grounds of mature age (persons of 45 or older) (+45):

• Will you be at least 45 years old in the year that you register?
• If so, you may apply for a conditional exemption on grounds of mature age.
• No school qualifications are required.

Who may apply for access study units?

You may still qualify for admission to degree studies via the Unisa Access Programme if you are in possession of one of the following certificates:

A South African Senior Certificate (includes N3 National Senior Certificate)
An O level certificate with a pass in at least five O level subjects (symbols A, B, C or 1-6) (A, B, C+ for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education), one of which must be English Language or Literature in English
A IGCSE Certificate with a pass in at least five IGCSE subjects with symbols A–C, one of which must be English first language or any other acknowledged first language
The ACE School of Tomorrow Grade 12 College Entrance Certificate or the National Christian Schools' Certificate Level 3
A certificate of evaluation from the South African Qualifications Authority showing that the qualification that the student possesses is equivalent to a Senior Certificate
The completed Certidao 12th class from Mozambique
The completed 3rd year Pre-University certificate from Angola

For more information on admission requirements:

What financial support is available to me as a Unisa student?

You may apply for a loan for your studies at the following:

Undergraduate studies only:
The Department of Student Support
Financial Aid Office (TEFSA)
AJH van der Walt Building 116
PO Box 392
Unisa, 0003
Tel: +27 12 429 3536
Fax: +27 12 429 3603
E-mail: unisafab@unisa.ac.za

Undergraduate and postgraduate studies:
Edu-Loan
Cas van Vuuren Building, Hall C
PO Box 392
Unisa, 0003
Tel: +27 0860 55 55 44
Or visit the website at www.eduloan.co.za.

Who can I contact for more information? 
Written enquiries and requests for registration forms and further information should be directed to:
The Registrar (Academic)
University of South Africa
PO Box 392
Unisa
0003

You can also visit our website: www.unisa.ac.za/humansciences