Universities With Free Online Application 2026

Good news for prospective students who were unable to apply to a South African university due to application costs! Many public universities now offer free online applications with no application fees. To make things easier for you, we have provided a list of universities currently accepting free online and paper applications for the 2026 academic year.

Why Free Applications Matter

Universities often charge application fees to cover the costs of processing applications. However, to increase enrollment, some institutions waive these fees. This list includes universities that allow students to apply for free, making it easier for both local and international students to pursue higher education in South Africa

What You Need to Apply

These universities require all applicants to provide the following documents at the time of application

Completed application form.
National Senior Certificate (NSC).
A copy of ID or passport.
Proof of payment for the application fee (if applicable).
Bachelor’s degree transcripts and certificate.
Statement of purpose or research proposal (if applicable).

International Students must submit:

A valid passport.
Proof of English proficiency
A valid student visa

Universities With Free Online Applications For 2026

Below is the list of universities currently offering free online 2026 applications to all undergraduate and postgraduate students

Universities	Contact Details	Application links
University of South Africa (UNISA)	012 429 3111	Application Link
University of Free State (UFS)	051 401 9111	Application Link
University of Pretoria (UP)	012 420 3111	Application Link
Rhodes University (RU)	+27 46 603 8111	Application Link
University of Johannesburg (UJ)	+27 11 559 4555	Application Link
University of Western Cape (UWC)	+27 21 959 3900	Application Link
Tshwane University Of Technology (TUT)	086 110 2421	Application Link
Stellenbosch University (SU)	+27 21 808 9111	Application Link