[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Your child’s been accepted and now the waiting game begins. The varsity application process demands some time and dedication (we know). You want to ensure that your child is going to study at an institution that meets his or her needs perfectly. There is lots to consider here – for example the location of the varsity, the type and quality of a degree or qualification, and the total amount of fees. Here we guide you through the process and make sure your child knows what they want to study and where they want to go.
My child has applied – now the suspense is killing me!
Once your child has applied to one or more varsities, there’s usually a bit of a waiting game going on, especially if the application is submitted towards the end of the academic year. It’s when the majority of scholars apply (hence why we stress that it is best to apply ASAP, even with Grade 11 marks!). We suggest applying at a minimum of 3 places in order to give your kid the best chance of success at being accepted.
When your child’s application is successfully submitted and received by the respective varsity, the admissions office will send your child a student number, along with online user login details (in most cases). It’s important to remember that receiving a student number does not mean that your child has been accepted. The student number serves to identify each potential applicant.
So in a summary, this is what you’ll need to wait for:
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Email from admissions office
Here your child receives a confirmation email stating they’ve received the application.
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Conditional Acceptance Letter
Some universities do not give a provisional acceptance e.g. Wits, so you have to wait until after Final Matric Marks have been received by the institution before knowing.
- Don’t forget! A conditional offer does not mean full acceptance.
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Acceptance letter
It’s super important that your child keeps working hard for his or her marks right until the end of Matric, even if they apply beforehand and have a conditional offer of study, as all marks from Matric are considered.
FYI: Even though your child has been accepted, they are only a student once registered with the institution!
How to track the application status?
There are two ways you can track the application status:
- Check the application status online
Most varsities have an online platform where your child can enter his or her user login details to check the application status.
- Call the admissions office
You can call the varsity’s admissions office to enquire about your child’s application status. Make sure you have the student number at hand. Please know that it is not the admissions office that makes the decision, but rather each individual Faculty which then informs the admissions office.
Try not to go cuckoo and harass the admissions office on a daily basis. The application process can take a good while, and in some cases you will only know at the beginning of the new year whether your child has been accepted and invited to register.
However, do stay on track and regularly follow up on the application status. Once your child has been accepted, the institution will notify him or her, usually by letter as well as email. With this confirmation your child will have a firm offer to study at the university, but will still need to register before he or she is officially a student at the institution.
For information on registration dates, click here.
Here’s what to do Next…
Once your child has been accepted, you need to start preparing for all the other exciting administration curveballs coming your way.
Here is what you can do to make this process a little easier and effective:
Stay on top of Paperwork
Once your child has been accepted to an institution the paperwork will keep piling up. It’s very important that your child makes sure all necessary documentation is received by the administration department. You’ll need to make sure your child goes to registration, signs up for the right courses, stays up to date with residence admin and the list goes on. Don’t forget they also need to make sure they have the right textbooks. Admin. Admin. Admin. Your child can do all of this on his/her own, as the notices are all very clear and up to date at the institutions. For text books, don’t forget to look under classifieds websites to get other senior students’ old text books at a lower value.
Pay the Registration Fee
The registration fee needs to be paid pretty promptly and in the case of private institutions your child’s place is not secured without it. So, ultimately it may be a good idea to check beforehand with the admissions department of the specific institution your child applied to (better safe than sorry).
Make a Decision
If your child’s applied to several institutions and has received several acceptance letters, they need to make a decision. Make sure to reject your other choices to open up spaces for other applicants (Don’t be greedy!)
Thorough Research & Open Day
Do thorough research and browse through websites of various institutions. Sometimes your child’s mind might be set on a specific university. Other times it might be set on a specific type of degree. He or she needs to do thorough research in order to find the best of both worlds. Have a look at our institutions page for a practical overview of the top South African universities.
Encourage your child to attend university open days, and accompany them if you can. It allows you to see the campus, get a sense of the university’s atmosphere, and be well informed about where your child will be spending their next three or more years.
Apply for funding
University fees aren’t cheap. If you are struggling to come up with the necessary funding for your child’s tertiary education, make sure you apply for funding assistance. There are multiple options out there. Most universities offer financial aid, and there are plenty of student bursaries and loans.
FYI: Generally the financial aid deadlines are around the same time as the university deadlines. So if you missed the boat, don’t worry – there are other options.
Have a look at our Finance Your Studies section for extensive info on student funding opportunities. To search for bursaries, check out the Bursary & Scholarships Listings.
My child didn’t get accepted – what now?
It can be extremely discouraging if your child doesn’t get accepted, especially if his or her heart was set on a specific university or degree. However, especially nowadays, there are still plenty of other opportunities for high school leavers – lots of amazing opportunities, we might add.
Here are some ideas to consider:
Advice and Tips
Apply early – “The early bird catches the worm.” Depending on the institution of choice, our public institutions are anywhere between 600 – 1 700% over-subscribed. If your child knows that there is a good chance that he or she will study straight after school, encourage them to apply in Grade 11 already. They should rather get a place at an institution – if final Matric marks allow them to qualify for another course, he or she can always try to change courses then (if there are still places available). You can read up more on this by clicking here.
As a parent, try not to keep checking to see if your child got in. This is your child’s education, not yours. Let your child do the checking online and take control of this. The same goes for the actual registration at the institution, although you will most likely accompany them to the cashiers desk to make the payment!
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