A UNISA “noname” file is a downloaded document — usually a registration confirmation, statement of account, exam admission letter, or another system-generated notice — that lands on a student’s device without a proper file extension. Instead of showing as a PDF, HTML page, or Word document, it simply appears as a file called “noname” with … Read more
Applying for nursing at UNISA is different from applying for most other undergraduate qualifications, because UNISA’s core nursing degree is designed for people who are already registered nurses, not for school leavers starting a nursing career from zero. This article explains exactly what UNISA offers in nursing, who actually qualifies to apply, the step-by-step application … Read more
Deregistering at UNISA means cancelling some or all of the modules a student is registered for, done through the myUnisa online student portal. The process is entirely online for module cancellations, while a full withdrawal from studies for an extended period follows a slightly different route through a formal deferment form. This article explains both … Read more
Whether UNISA accepts late applications depends entirely on which qualification a person wants to study and where the university currently stands in its annual application cycle. UNISA runs a structured, dated application calendar rather than accepting applications on a rolling basis all year round. For most undergraduate qualifications, honours degrees, and postgraduate diplomas, there is … Read more
NSFAS does not fund UNISA short courses. This applies across all Short Learning Programmes (SLPs) offered by UNISA, regardless of the subject area, duration, or price of the course. NSFAS funding is reserved for approved undergraduate qualifications — Higher Certificates, Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, and Bachelor’s Degrees — and short courses fall outside this category entirely. … Read more
There is no single flat “registration fee” at UNISA. What most people mean when they ask this question is the minimum amount a student must pay to activate their registration for a semester or academic year. This amount depends on the number of modules a student registers for, the type of module (semester or year … Read more
Many people without a National Senior Certificate (matric) want to know whether the University of South Africa (UNISA) will still accept them. The direct answer is: standard admission to UNISA requires matric or an equivalent qualification, but UNISA does provide alternative entry routes for people who do not have it. These routes are not automatic, … Read more
Yes, NSFAS funds Higher Certificate qualifications at UNISA, provided the applicant meets the standard financial eligibility criteria and the Higher Certificate represents their first post-school qualification. Since UNISA is one of South Africa’s 26 public universities, its Higher Certificate offerings fall within the same funding framework NSFAS applies across all public universities and TVET colleges, … Read more
Yes, UNISA offers nursing-related qualifications, but not in the way many prospective students expect. The University of South Africa does not offer a pre-registration nursing programme that trains someone with no prior nursing background into a registered nurse from scratch. Instead, its core nursing offering, the Bachelor of Arts in Nursing Science, is a career-advancement … Read more
Yes, Funza Lushaka funds UNISA students. The Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, run by the Department of Basic Education, explicitly includes distance education and part-time students among those eligible for funding, provided they meet all the same academic, age, and citizenship requirements that apply to any other applicant. Since UNISA is a public university offering the … Read more
The University of South Africa (UNISA) calculates a prospective student’s Admission Point Score (APS) using the National Senior Certificate (NSC) 1 to 7 achievement scale, based on your six best-performing 20-credit subjects, with Life Orientation excluded from the calculation entirely. The highest possible APS a student can achieve under this method is 42. This article … Read more
Yes, UNISA is funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). The University of South Africa is a public university, and NSFAS funds eligible students at all public universities and TVET colleges in the country, which means UNISA students qualify for NSFAS bursaries on the same basic eligibility principles as students at any other … Read more
The University of South Africa (UNISA) charges a non-refundable application fee of R160.00 for self-help and online applications, according to its current official application information for the 2027 academic year. This fee applies once a prospective student has received a student number from UNISA and must be paid before the application closing date, after which … Read more
An NSFAS-funded UNISA student registered for ten or more modules receives a Personal Care Allowance of roughly R316.70 per month, paid over ten months of the academic year. This is the only recurring monthly payment UNISA students receive from NSFAS, since the university’s distance learning model means students do not qualify for the accommodation, transport, … Read more
UNISA’s official position is that it does not accept late applications or late supporting documents once the closing date for a given application period has passed. If you miss the deadline for the main application window, the standard outcome is that you wait and reapply during the next official application period, not that you submit … Read more
Whether a specific course is still open at the University of South Africa (UNISA) depends on the exact day you check, since UNISA closes individual qualifications to new applicants once they reach capacity, even while the general application window for the 2027 academic year remains open until 9 October 2026. There is no single fixed … Read more
Applications for the 2026 academic year at the University of South Africa (UNISA) opened on 18 August 2025 and closed on 10 October 2025 for undergraduate qualifications, honours degrees, and postgraduate diplomas. If you are reading this now, that primary application window has already closed, and the 2026 academic year is already underway. This article … Read more
Unisa applications for the 2027 academic year are open. Prospective students who want to register for undergraduate qualifications, honours degrees, or postgraduate diplomas can apply now through the official online application system. This article explains the exact opening and closing dates, who needs to apply, how the application process works, the required documents, the application … Read more
NSFAS does not pay TVET college stipends on one single fixed date across the country. Payments follow a structured cycle that starts with an upfront disbursement early in the year, moves through a short ramp-up period while colleges confirm registration data, and then settles into a regular monthly date for the remainder of the academic … Read more
Hospitality is one of the fields TVET students most frequently ask about when checking whether their intended qualification qualifies for NSFAS funding. This article sets out exactly which hospitality-related programmes are covered, how the qualification structure works, what NSFAS pays for, and what to check before enrolling in a hospitality course at a public TVET … Read more