Fees & funding

Student fees & funding

1. First-time entering undergraduate students

If you’ve been made a firm offer by Wits University, you must formally accept the offer if you wish to study at Wits. Once you do so, the first fee payment of R9 340 is due.

There are certain conditions under which you may not need to make the first fee payment. These include students with provisional NSFAS offers; students on full scholarships/bursaries; and those who fall under the new funding threshold.

Students on full bursaries/scholarships

Students who have been given a full Wits University scholarship, or any other approved external bursary/ scholarship, must present proof to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO). You may not be required to make the first fee payment.

Please be aware that if you are a first-time student who has been awarded a bursary or scholarship by another funder, you won’t qualify for a full NSFAS bursary even if you meet the NSFAS eligibility criteria. You may, however, receive ‘top-up’ financial aid.

If you receive a Wits University Entrance Scholarship and you are receiving a NSFAS grant or another bursary, you won’t be able to receive the monetary value of the award.

Household income below R350 000 per year

If you are a first-time student whose gross household income per year is under R350 000, you may qualify to receive funding in 2022; made available as a bursary with conditions. Students who apply and qualify for these bursaries will have to sign a contract with NSFAS, including academic requirements and service requirements.

The actual cost of tuition and prescribed study materials will be covered and qualifying students may also be eligible for subsidised accommodation and living costs (including meals). Where meals are not included in the cost, there may be a separate allowance.

You’ll need to:

(a) Request a deferral of the first fee payment via the

Self-Service Portal https://self-service.wits.ac.za (b) Tick the block to indicate that your gross household income is under R350 000 per year.

Your registration service indicator will be dropped and you will be directed to a link to download the NSFAS consent form (c) Please complete the NSFAS consent form, sign it and either scan it and email it to nsfas@wits.ac.za or precious.nkosi@wits.ac.za or drop off the signed original form at the Financial Aid Office on the Ground Floor of

Solomon Mahlangu House.

Household income of R350 000-R600 000 per year

If your gross household income per year is between R350 000 and R600 000, you may qualify to have your 2022 fee increase paid for by Government. You’ll need to: (a) Apply for gap grant funding via the Self-Service

Portal https://self-service.wits.ac.za (b) Log in and navigate as follows: - Select Financial Aid and Residence - Select Apply for Scholarships and Bursaries - Select Aid Year 2022 - Select Apply/Update Application - Select Funding Type - Select DHET GAP Funding

Students who cannot afford the first fee payment

If you find that you can’t afford the first fee payment, please access the self-service portal at https://self-service.wits.ac.za and acknowledge that payment can only be made by 31 March 2022, by which time all fees should be settled in full. If you’re still unable to pay, you will need to sign an Acknowledgement of Debt.

2. International students

Do you have a valid visa? • Full-time students: You’ll need a Study visa that shows that you will be studying at the University of the

Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. • Part-time students: You’ll need a Critical/General Work visa or an Intra-Company or Business visa permitting you to work in South Africa. • Holders of Refugee Permits, Asylum-Seeker Permits and Diplomatic Visas: Please visit the International

Students Office website at www.wits.ac.za/internationalstudents/

In general, here’s what you will need to do: • Generate a fees quotation from the student self-service portal: https://self-service.wits.ac.za. Course codes can be obtained from the relevant faculty office. • Pay 75% of the tuition fees and related costs before annual enrolment. (The remaining 25% must be paid by 31 March 2022. • Once payment has been made, submit proof of payment to the Wits Fees Office, which will provide you with a Fees Clearance form. • Note: If you are sponsored, your sponsorship letter must be vetted by the Financial Aid and Scholarships

Office (FASO). • Present your passport, relevant visa and proof of current SA medical aid membership to the International

Students Office, to obtain clearance to register.