Universities in South Africa have complex histories shaped by apartheid-era higher education policies and post-1994 transformation. Apartheid laws such as the Extension of University Education Act of 1959 entrenched racial segregation in higher education, including by creating separate institutions for different racial groups. Since South Africa’s democratic transition, universities in the country have become increasingly multiracial, inclusive, and diverse. From Pretoria to Cape Town, South African universities are recognized internationally and offer active campus lives, with cultural and sports activities that round out the student experience.
Many South African universities charge a nonrefundable application fee. The following universities are confirmed by current official application pages as having no application fee in the cases described below.
Here is some essential information on South African universities that offer application-fee-free options.
South African Universities With No Application Fee=
1. University of the Free State
- Application Fees
- No application fee for: all applicants using the UFS online application system.
First on our list of South African universities with no application fee is the University of the Free State. This public university has its main campus in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State province and South Africa’s judicial capital. UFS was founded in 1904 as Grey University College and has grown into a multi-campus university.
UFS has a complex history, including an Afrikaans-only language period from 1948, the admission of its first Black undergraduate and postgraduate students in 1978, and major post-apartheid transformation. Its 2016 Language Policy made English the primary language of instruction while supporting multilingualism through languages such as Afrikaans, Sesotho, and isiZulu.
You can study at UFS in a number of fields, from undergraduate degrees to postgraduate studies and short learning programs. UFS lists seven faculties: Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Health Sciences, the Humanities, Law, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and Theology and Religion. The university also lists Open Distance Learning and the Business School among its academic options.
The university library offers nearly 700,000 library books, including a growing ebook collection, and students can participate in more than 22 sports disciplines.
2. University of the Western Cape
- Application Fees
- No application fee for: applicants using the UWC online application portal.
The University of the Western Cape is another university in South Africa that does not charge an application fee. It is located in Bellville, a suburb of Cape Town. UWC is known for its history of struggle against apartheid and its continued commitment to fighting oppression, discrimination, and disadvantage. Parliament established the University College of the Western Cape in 1959 for people classified as “Coloured,” and the first 166 students enrolled in 1960. The institution gained university status in 1970, formally rejected apartheid ideology in its 1982 mission statement, and gained autonomy on the same terms as historically white universities in 1983.
Today, UWC focuses on learning, teaching, research, and innovation while remaining committed to serving the public good. It is also part of an international network of partner institutions that supports research partnerships, capacity building, and student and staff mobility.
UWC is home to more than 23,000 students in seven faculties: Arts and Humanities, Community and Health Sciences, Dentistry, Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Law, and Natural Sciences. In the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, UWC was listed in the top 10 in South Africa and 7th in Sub-Saharan Africa; QS also lists UWC at #10 in its 2026 Sub-Saharan Africa ranking.
I hope this article was helpful. If you are interested, check out the available courses for international students and the Scholarships Page.
