How to Apply at Wits University for 2026

How to Apply at Wits University for 2026

How to Apply at Wits University for 2026: Full Guide

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), based in Johannesburg, is one of South Africa’s top universities. If you want to apply for 2026, here’s everything you need to know to prepare well, meet deadlines, and maximize your chances.

1. Important Dates & Deadlines

Knowing the application deadlines is crucial. Missing a deadline can mean waiting another year or losing your spot for a competitive programme.

Tip: These deadlines apply for undergraduate admissions. If you’re applying for postgraduate studies, check the Wits website or the relevant faculty for specific dates (they may differ).

2. Who Can Apply / Eligibility

Before applying, make sure you meet the general admission criteria. Requirements can vary by programme, but here are the broad rules:

• South African applicants / permanent residents must have a valid National Senior Certificate (NSC) with university endorsement, or equivalent. If you’re in Grade 11, you can apply provisionally with your Grade 11 results; final admission depends on your final matric results.

• International applicants must have school‐leaving qualifications equivalent to the NSC and must supply translations / evaluations, if required.

• Applicants with previous tertiary experience must submit official transcripts (even if you did not complete the qualification). Statement of good conduct may be needed

• Some programmes are restricted and competitive (Health Sciences, Architecture, Film & TV, etc.), meaning you must meet higher minimum requirements, possibly write extra tests or submit portfolios or other selection materials.

3. Application Fee & How to Pay

You will almost always need to pay a non-refundable application fee. Here are the details:

• R100 for South African citizens or permanent residents.

• R700 for foreign/non-South African applicants.

• Payment should be made via the Wits self-service portal (Campus Finances → Make a Payment → Application Fee), or via other acceptable options such as bank deposit / EFT / credit card. Be sure to use your Person Number / Student Number as reference.

• The application fee must be paid before the closing date of your programme. Applications with unpaid fees may not be processed.

4. Documents & Supporting Material

You’ll need to prepare and submit a number of documents to support your application. Some of these need to be certified, recent, or follow specific formatting. Key documents include:

Tip: Create digital scans of all your documents early. Make sure they are clear, readable, correctly labelled, and in acceptable format. Attention to this avoids delays or rejection due to missing or unclear documents.

5. Number of Programmes / Choices Allowed

Wits permits some flexibility in programme choice, but there are rules:

• You can apply to up to three (3) programmes for undergraduate study. Order of choice does not matter.

• If applying to multiple choices within the same faculty, it is advisable to include at least one less restricted programme as backup (e.g., humanities, commerce) — especially if your first choices are highly competitive.

• Do not enter the programme duration; you are applying as a first-year student

6. Step-By-Step Application Process

1. • Wits University Merit Scholarships

   • External bursaries (available on ZABursaries.com)

   • Bank student loans or employer-sponsored funding

     Step-by-Step: How to Apply at Wits University for 2026

     Let’s go through the complete application process in 10 simple steps.

     1. Visit the Wits Online Application Portal

     Go to the official Wits website: https://www.wits.ac.za/applications/.
     Click on “Apply to Wits” and choose your level of study — Undergraduate or Postgraduate.

     2. Check the Admission Requirements

     Each programme has specific entry requirements, including minimum APS (Admission Point Score) and subject combinations.

     For example:

     • Bachelor of Science (BSc): Requires Mathematics and Physical Science.

     • Bachelor of Commerce (BCom): Requires Mathematics and English.

     • Bachelor of Education (BEd): Requires English and another official language.

     Use the official Wits 2026 Prospectus to confirm subject requirements and APS for your course. You can download it from Wits Prospectus 2026 PDF.

     3. Prepare All Required Documents

     Before starting your online application, have the following documents ready (certified and scanned clearly):

     • South African ID or valid passport (for international applicants)

     • Latest Grade 11 results (if still in school)

     • Matric Certificate / NSC

     • Academic transcripts (if you attended any tertiary institution)

     • Proof of payment for the application fee

     • Portfolio / audition / NBT results (if required for your course)

     ⚠️ Important: Documents must be certified within the last 3 months.

     4. Pay the Wits Application Fee

     Wits applications are not free. Your application is only processed after payment.

     • R100 for South African citizens

     • R700 for international applicants

     You can pay online via the self-service portal, or deposit directly into Wits’ bank account using your student or ID number as a reference.

     5. Complete the Online Application

     Once registered on the Wits self-service portal, fill in all your personal, academic, and contact details.
     You can apply for up to three (3) programmes — but make sure at least one is a less competitive course as a backup.

     Example: Apply for Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, and a Science course — to increase your chances.

     6. Upload Supporting Documents

     Upload all certified documents in PDF format.
     Double-check that the file names are clear (e.g. “ID_DavinaKingsley.pdf”) to avoid confusion. Missing or unclear uploads may delay your application.

     7. Submit Before the Deadline

     After completing the form and uploading documents, click “Submit.”
     You’ll receive an acknowledgement email confirming your application has been received. Keep this safe for reference.

     8. Track Your Application Status

     Log in to the self-service portal to check your status.
     Possible statuses include:

     • Application Received

     • Pending Documents

     • Under Review

     • Offer Made

     • Waitlisted

     Once you receive an offer, you’ll be able to accept it online.

     9. Apply for Residence and Financial Aid

     If you need on-campus accommodation, apply for Wits Residences before 30 September 2025.
     For financial aid, apply for NSFAS at www.nsfas.org.za — applications for 2026 open around August 2025.

     Also explore:

   10. Accept Your Offer and Register

   If accepted, follow the instructions to accept your offer before the deadline.
   Next, pay your first registration fee, and complete module registration when it opens in early February 2026.

   Congratulations — you’re officially a Witsie!

   .

7. Faculties / Programmes with Additional/Specific Requirements

Some programmes are more competitive or require extra selection steps. If you’re applying to any of these, pay special attention.

• Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) has a selection process beyond academic marks: spatial imagination, problem solving, sometimes interviews / job shadowing / portfolio work. Wits University

• Certain Health Sciences programmes are extremely competitive, often requiring high APS, strong performance in required subjects, and may have additional screening.

• BA Film & TV, Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology, etc. may require portfolios, auditions, or additional documented creative work or tests.

8. Fees & Payment Schedules

Knowing how fees work helps you plan financially.

• Tuition Fees: Vary by programme. The 2025 fee booklet gives you an idea for 2026 — fees may increase (often around ~5% or more year to year) as guided by DHET / university policy.

• First Fee Payment (South African / Permanent Residents): There is a required first fee payment before registration. For example, for 2025 it was ~ R9,340 for new & returning domestic students. Wits University

• Ancillary Costs: Books, stationery, transport, excursions, club costs, any materials required by programme (e.g. creative, lab work) are additional.

• International Students: Usually required to pay a large portion of their fees upfront (for example 75%) before registration, with balance possibly payable later (by end of June) depending on policy.

9. Term Dates & Academic Calendar

Understanding when terms start, breaks, exams, etc., helps you plan your move, resources, study schedule.

• Term 1 (2026) begins 3 February 2026. Wits University

• There are mid-term breaks, study breaks, and examination periods. E.g., after first teaching block (approx early March to mid-March), then break, etc

• Matric results are published earlier (for example 12 January) which helps students who are applying based on final Matric. Wits University

10. Tips to Increase Your Admission Chances

Here are practical tips to give your application a better chance, especially for competitive programmes:

• Apply early — even though applications open well in advance, don’t wait till the deadline. Competitive programmes fill up.

• Ensure all documents are ready and certified — delays often happen because documents are missing or not certified recently.

• Meet and ideally exceed minimum subject and APS requirements — for competitive courses even meeting the minimum may not be enough.

• Do well in additional selection components (portfolios, auditions, etc.) if required. Prepare carefully.

• Use the National Benchmark Test (NBT) if required or helpful — sometimes universities use NBT for selection or to profile applicants. Check if your programme needs it.

• Keep backup programme choices — since you can apply for up to three, choose at least one programme where your marks are safely above minimum requirement.

• Monitor your application status online; respond quickly to any requests for missing documents or corrections.

• Financial planning — look into NSFAS or bursaries early; compute living costs, residence, travel, books.

11. What Happens After You Apply

Understanding the post-application steps reduces surprises:

• Acknowledgement: Once you submit and pay fee, you’ll receive acknowledgement from Wits.

• Assessment: Wits assesses your application based on your self-reported Grade 11 or latest Matric results, and then final Matric results when released. If you have tertiary transcripts, those are considered.

• Offer of Admission: If accepted, you’ll receive an offer (either firm or conditional). Some offers may depend on pending results or meeting final minimum marks.

• Waitlists / Alternate Offers: For high demand programmes, some applicants are wait-listed. If others decline offers, wait-listed applicants may get offers.

• Accepting Offers: If you get an offer, accept it through the portal by the given deadline. Only one offer is accepted. Wits University

• Registration & Module Selection: Once accepted, you’ll register your modules, make necessary fee payments (first payment etc.), attend orientation or registration sessions.

12. Common Pitfalls to Avoid

To avoid having your application rejected or delayed, watch out for these common mistakes:

• Using different names between ID/passport and application (e.g. using initials vs full name). Always use names as in official documents. Wits University

• Late submissions of documents or fee payments or missing the deadlines for the specific programme.

• Not checking if your programme requires extra materials (portfolios, etc.) — missing these can disqualify you.

• Applying to too many highly competitive programmes without a safer backup; gives more chances of acceptance.

• Ignoring residence or financial aid applications — places are limited; deadlines are the same as programme ones.

Helpful Links

• Apply at Wits University

• Wits 2026 Prospectus PDF

• Wits Fees and Funding

• NSFAS Application Portal

• ZABursaries.com – Find Bursaries and Funding

13. Checklist – Quick-Summary

Here’s a quick checklist you can use to ensure you don’t miss anything when applying to Wits for 2026:

1. Choose 1-3 programmes; check each programme’s minimum APS and subject requirements.

2. Get all your documents ready and certified: ID/passport, Grade 11 or Matric, previous tertiary transcripts if applicable.

3. Check if your programme requires portfolio / specialized tests / NBT / audition.

4. Note closing dates — especially 30 June for Health Sciences, Architecture etc.; 30 September for others.

5. Pay application fee (R100 SA / R700 international) ahead of deadline.

6. Upload all required documents via Wits self-service portal.

7. Submit application before deadline. Receive confirmation that Wits has received it.

8. Monitor status; respond to any requests Wits makes.

9. If offered, accept offer and register. Pay first fee instalment.

10. Apply for residence / financial aid / NSFAS if needed.

14. Wrapping Up

Applying to Wits University for 2026 can be smooth if you prepare early, understand the requirements, meet deadlines, and submit a complete application. Wits offers many excellent programmes, but competition is stiff, especially for sought-after degrees.

If you follow the steps in this guide, you’ll reduce the chances of errors, delays, or missing out. Good luck with your application — start early, stay organized, and aim high!

Conclusion: Take the First Step Toward Your Future at Wits

Applying to Wits University for 2026 is your gateway to one of South Africa’s most prestigious learning institutions. With the right preparation, documents, and timing, you can make your dream a reality.

Start early, stay organized, and follow the step-by-step process above — because your future at Wits starts with one simple application.