Cape Town - As the 2025 academic year resumes, the country’s universities have received applications that are more than 30 times higher than they can accommodate.

Topping the list is the University of Johannesburg (UJ), with 693 990 applications (all choices) which translates to a headcount of 358 992 applicants for approximately 10 900 undergraduate spaces.

Among the popular courses were Bachelor of Education in Senior Phase and FET Teaching, Diploma in Public Relations and Communication, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase Teaching, Bachelor of Arts General (Humanities), LLB in Law, Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching, Diploma in Logistics, Bachelor of Social Work, and Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) received over 290 600 individual applications for approximately 8 600 first-year places for the 2025 academic year. This is 33 times more than the available spaces.

Stellenbosch University received 90 027 applications for first-year study in 2025 while it has 6 005 spaces. It is 15 times higher than the available spaces.

The faculties that received the highest number of applications are Medicine and Health Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences and Arts and Social Sciences.

Dr Sheetal Bhoola, an expert from the University of Zululand, said spaces at universities have long been an issue and one has to do exceptionally well in their matric if they want a spot.

“The Department of Higher Education (led by Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane) needs to build a more feasible education system that enables graduates to learn to earn to improve livelihood. There are very big gaps between the economy, and the schooling system (universities).

“There are Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges for people who want to earn a skill-based livelihood.

“Plumbers nowadays, charge a doctor’s rate in a call-out fee,” said Bhoola.

Meanwhile, various experts have warned students about bogus institutions that pop up every year and urged them to make sure they check the websites and verify registrations with the Department of Higher Education.

Cape Argus

Gwalisile Khanyile

Record applications flood South African universities for 2025 academic year