The North-West University says while it received close to half a million applications across its three campuses, only 11 800 first-year students will be admitted for the 2026 academic year.
It says it’s unable to accept all the applications, including from those whose Admission Points Score meet the degree or programme requirements, due to limited capacity.
From the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr @ButiManamela. #DHET#2026AcademicYearpic.twitter.com/yCMAcYmSTp
— HigherEducationZA (@HigherEduGovZA) January 16, 2026
In 2023, the NWU was ranked the third-largest university in South Africa, with a total headcount of just over 55 000 students.
Applications at the North West University have grown incrementally from 120 000 in 2022 to 420 000 applications for the 2026 academic year. But capacity remains a challenge.
“This year, we received around 420 000 applicants, and our target was 11 800 for 3 campuses. So this thing is a matter that is affecting South Africa as a whole. I was checking statistics, it’s about 900 000 students that passed 2025, and all universities combined can only cater for 200 000. So even with the North West University, it’s the same story, the issue is capacity,” says NWU Spokesperson, Oscar Mosiane.
While some unsuccessful applicants and their parents are at their wits’ end, it is not all doom and gloom. Some of them share their sentiments.
“I did an online application last year. Funny enough, I have been sitting at home for 3 years, so I am finally accepted into school. I am going to be doing a bsc and that BSc is going to branch me into my medical field, cause I want to pursue medicine.”
“I don’t know what is going to happen this year because it’s now 2 years at home…so it’s really frustrating…so I don’t know whether I will be able to convince her to go for TVET colleges. I don’t know whether I will succeed.”
The capacity limitations have also revealed deeply embedded shortfalls in institutions of higher learning.
“The Department of Higher Education and Training itself has got to be proactive and look at the stats and make projections, and decide on how these things are going to be solved by way of saying there is a need for building more universities. If more universities, technikons or TVET colleges could be built, colleges could be built and any other institutions which could provide and solve this problem, all the better will it be for the South Africans,” says Higher Education Expert, Prof Oupa Lebeloane.
The number of students enrolled is determined by enrolment targets approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
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