Distance learning and Unisa
How do I know if I’m ready for distance learning?
Many of us do not know what it’s really like to study through distance learning because most of our schooling and post-school education was completed through contact or face-to-face learning. We have developed a number of videos to help you assess how ready you are for distance learning. Click here to watch the videos.
Is Unisa a correspondence university?
Unisa is an Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) university. Open Distance e-Learning is a different way of learning - there is a physical distance between you and your university. For most of us, this means that our previous learning experiences will not have prepared us for the Unisa study journey. In distance learning, YOU are responsible for your studies. You don’t attend daily classes / lectures. You learn from a distance and you connect to the university mostly via the internet (eg a laptop, tablet, smartphone).
Visit www.unisa.ac.za/odl for more information.
Career and qualifications
What qualifications does Unisa offer?
Unisa offers different levels of qualifications:
Who may apply for admission to a qualification for non-degree purposes (NDP)?
Unisa will only accept applications for admission for non-degree purposes (NDP) if a detailed motivation indicating why you wish to register for NDP is included as part of your application.
- If you intend to register for NDP to obtain admission to a postgraduate qualification, please apply for admission to the postgraduate qualification and not for NDP. Your postgraduate application will be processed and you will be informed if your admission to NDP can be considered as a "bridging" course.
- If your application for NDP is based on a recommendation by another academic institution, please upload the recommendation and your academic record online as part of your application for admission.
- If you are applying for admission to NDP for any reason other than those stated above, please upload the relevant motivation online during the application period.
For more information on NDP registrations, refer to the information as published under Unisa rules for students.
I don’t know which qualification to choose.
Our careers are a work in progress and you continuously need to make career decisions, including what to study. Your starting point is to understand what kind of opportunities you want to prepare for. If you want to be a teacher, for example, you need to choose a qualification such as the Bachelor of Education degree to prepare you to be a teacher. If you want to be able to work in finance, you might choose to start with a Bachelor of Accounting Science degree to prepare you for finance-related opportunities.
The next step is to do research about yourself (your interests, values and skills) and career opportunities (by doing research on Google, job websites, talking to professionals in person and on LinkedIn, and doing job shadowing and volunteer work). This process will help you to understand what qualifications are more relevant to your career. Complete these career counselling activities to help you make a decision about what to study.
I know what I’m interested in, but am not sure what to study.
Your interests play an important role in sustaining your career and shaping specific career choices. Often, you are sure of what you like, but are not sure of what jobs are related to your interests. Click here to explore job titles related to specific interests.
Applying for admission
Who must apply for admission?
- Everyone wanting to start a new qualification must apply for admission. This includes first-time Unisa applicants, Unisa students changing to a new qualification and applicants who previously applied for admission but were not offered a space.
- Everyone completing a Higher Certificate or Alternative Pathway / Extended Programme must apply for admission to a follow-on qualification.
- You must re-apply for admission if you previously applied for admission and received feedback, but did not register for any reason.
- Everyone planning to enrol at a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college under the Unisa-TVET agreement must apply for admission.
When can I apply?
Applications for admission to Unisa's undergraduate qualifications (higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas & degrees) will be open from 1 September to 30 November 2020.
How many qualifications can I apply for?
You can apply for a maximum of two qualifications. You may be offered a place based on the following: whether you meet the academic admission requirements for your qualification of choice, your minimum points score and the number of places available for the qualification for which you have applied.
How do I apply?
Visit the Unisa application website (www.unisa.ac.za/apply) and follow the 5-step process.
I studied previously through Unisa. Must I also submit my academic record?
Yes, please obtain this information from myUnisa and submit your academic record as part of the application process. Please note that you do not need to get this academic record certified, as Unisa can verify the information against the Unisa database.
Will I still be able to submit any outstanding documents after applications have closed?
Unisa will not accept any late applications or documents submitted after the closing date for applications. You will need to re-apply during the next application period.
Will I be able to change my proposed qualification to a diploma or higher certificate if my Grade 12 results don’t give me admission to my degree of choice?
No qualification can be changed or added after the closing date for applications. You may apply for a maximum of two qualifications during the application process. We suggest that you also therefore apply for a qualification at a lower level to make provision for a situation such as this.
Current or returning Unisa students who wish to change to a new qualification / specialisation may ONLY apply for this change during the relevant application period.
I’m currently in Grade 12. When should I apply?
If you are in Grade 12 this year (2020), please apply for admission from 1 September to 30 November 2020.
Fees and student funding
Is there an application fee? If so, how much is it?
- The non-refundable application for self-help and online applications is R115,00.
- The non-refundable application fee of R185,00 for hard copy applications (hard copy applications will only be considered in exceptional cases).
This application fee is non-refundable even if you decide not to study through Unisa or do not qualify for admission to Unisa .
Please note: The closing date for applications is the closing date for the application fee. No late fees will be accepted.
Who must pay the application fee?
Only first-time applicants at Unisa have to pay the application fee. You do not need to pay the application fee if you have previously paid an application fee at Unisa.
Is the application fee subject to a cooling-off period?
No.
When can I apply for NSFAS funding?
Visit the NSFAS website for all information related to NSFAS funding for 2021.
After applying for admission
I’ve applied. What happens now?
- Unisa will assess your application, which includes the points score system. You may be offered a place based on the following: whether you meet the academic admission requirements for your qualification of choice, your minimum points score and the number of places available for the qualification for which you have applied.
- Please note that you will not automatically be accepted to study through Unisa even if you meet the above requirements for your qualification(s) of choice. Students will be accommodated on the basis of the number of places available for each qualification. Please note that the “first come first served” principle does NOT apply.
- Unisa will inform you of the outcome of your application.
- You must accept or decline Unisa's offer within the prescribed period of time.
- First-time applicants to Unisa will be required to complete the First-Year Experience (FYE) MOOC (massive open online course) before you will be able to accept your offer and be able to register for the 2021 academic year. You will automatically be routed to the offer acceptance page once you complete the last activity in the MOOC.
- If you accept Unisa's offer, you must register for the period for which you have been granted admission. Should you not register for the relevant semester of study, you will need to re-apply for admission during the next application period.
When can I expect feedback on my online application?
The verification of applications takes some time. You may only receive feedback from Unisa six to eight weeks after the closing date for applications.
I’ve applied for one qualification, but now want to change to another qualification. What should I do?
In exceptional cases and on receipt of a written request, an applicant may change the qualification for which he or she has applied. Unisa will consider such a request, but the outcome will be based on merit and the number of spaces available in the proposed qualification.
Accepting Unisa's offer
- If your application for admission to semester 1 of the 2021 academic year is successful, Unisa will offer you a space for the period for which you have applied and will also indicate for which qualification you are being offered a space.
- You must accept or decline Unisa's offer within the prescribed period of time.
- You may only accept one offer. This means that when you accept an offer for one qualification (irrespective of whether it is your first or second qualification of choice), the other offer will automatically fall away.
- You will only be permitted to register for the qualification for which you have accepted the offer.
- If you accept Unisa's offer, you must register for the period for which you were granted admission.
- If you do not register for the relevant semester of study, you will need to re-apply during the next application period.
Registration
I want to register, but didn’t apply during the application period. What should I do?
You will need to apply for admission during the next application period. Please visit www.unisa.ac.za/apply for more information.