After you register

Finalisation of your registration

If you register online, but do not pay the minimum payment during the registration process, your registration will only be finalised once the university has received your payment. Please note that Unisa must receive your minimum payment before the closing date for registration. At a certain point, your temporary registration record will be removed; you will then have to re-apply for admission to your qualification during the next application period to continue with your studies.

If you are a re-registering student, and are applying for a bursary, please ensure that you do a temporary registration before the closing date. We recommend that you make the necessary minimum payment before the closing date for registration, if possible. You will be able to claim the amount back from the bursary section if your bursary application is successful. If a company / sponsor is responsible for your fees, we suggest that you pay your fees yourself and then claim the necessary amount back from the company / sponsor. In this way, you will ensure that your fees are paid on time and that you are registered.

Prepare for your studies

These are the very important steps you must follow:

Go to myUnisa and claim your Unisa login (if you have never before logged in to myUnisa).
Login to your myLife e-mail account as soon as possible and check this account regularly. All registered Unisa students receive a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices and updates are sent exclusively to this account, so it's very important that you check it regularly.
Register for the the compulsory African Academic Support Programme as soon as possible after registration
Access myUnisa for important study-related information. Students registered for the MBA, MBL and DBL degrees must also visit the SBL's Moodle site for study material and other important information.
Contact your supervisor as soon as you receive confirmation of your registration to plan your studies for the year and sign the supervision agreement.
If you are registered for the research proposal module (coursework master’s degree) or for the research component (mini-dissertation, dissertation or thesis), you should make contact with your contact person / supervisor as soon as possible after accessing your study material on myUnisa / Moodle (in the case of GSBL students). If you do not receive a response from the contact person or your supervisor within 5 working days, please contact the Chair of Department.

If you have any problems accessing myUnisa or your myLife e-mail address, please send an e-mail to myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za or myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za. Remember to include your student number in the subject line of your e-mail and, where possible, provide full details and print screens of the error message you receive.

Add study units (coursework modules only)

Students registered for a coursework master's degree may add additional modules during the relevant registration period. You must do this via myUnisa and pay the necessary fee to the university by the relevant closing date for registration.

Cancel study units

Please take note of the following dates for cancelling study units:

Coursework modules:

15 May 2026: If you cancel a module before this date, you will forfeit the minimum payment.
15 May 2026: If you cancel a module after this date, you will forfeit the minimum payment and the second payment. (You remain liable to pay the minimum and second payments.)
15 August 2026: Full payment forfeited after this date.

Change my address and / or telephone number

All requests to change your cellphone number, postal address and/or your physical/courier address must be submitted via myUnisa.

Change your passport / ID number

This amendment cannot be done via myUnisa. You must e-mail a copy of your ID / passport to MandD@unisa.ac.za.

Change my exam centre (coursework modules only)

All Unisa assessments are online (unless otherwise indicated by the university). Students registered for the research proposal module and/or research component (mini-dissertation, dissertation or thesis) do not write examinations. Please refer to the master's and doctoral research examination process.

Apply for study unit credit exemptions

You cannot be exempted from more than 50% of the modules for the qualification for which you are registered. You must also have met the requisite admission requirements at the time of having passed the study units at your previous institution. No exemptions will be granted towards completed qualifications. No exemptions will be considered for the research proposal module, unless it is for the MA in Clinical Psychology or as recommended by the relevant academic department.

Master's & doctoral degrees