Documents Needed To Apply For a University in South Africa

This article contains information on the documents needed to apply for a university or college in South Africa.

Every university, irrespective of the country, has its own entry requirements. Oftentimes, these requirements include the demand for some documents from the applicants. The documents required may differ based on the nationality of the students.

Studying in South Africa is quite interesting due to the conducive environment it has. As a student who intends to study in South Africa, you may be discouraged by the thought that the process and requirements are nerve-wracking. Well, you don’t have to overthink it. The application process for South African universities is actually very easy.

One of the most important and non-negotiable processes is preparing the necessary documents. In this article, you will find out the documents required of you in order to apply for a university or college in South Africa.

Straight into the subject, to be able to apply for University in South Africa, certain important documents will be required from you.

Do you want to study in South Africa? Here are the very important documents you have to keep handy when applying to study in a South African university:

LIST OF DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR STUDY IN A SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE

• Completed and signed application form.
• Proof of payment of the application fee, if applicable.
• A high school diploma (if you apply for a bachelor’s).
• A Bachelor’s or Master’s diploma (if you apply for a Master’s or PhD, respectively).
• A residency permit and a study permit
• Medical aid coverage
• Valid international passport
• Transcript of records.
• Certified copies of your ID and certified copies of your parents or guardians ID.
• Certified copies of your South African ID for South African citizens
• A copy of your passport photograph
• Proof of language proficiency
• Motivation letter or Statement of Purpose

Other supporting documents include:

• Proof of residence and a recent payslip.
• Certified copies of your exam results from Grade 11 and your mid-year matric exam marks
• If you are an international applicant, you will also need a visa

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED  FOR ADMISSION INTO A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

1. Copies of Diplomas from Your Previous Studies: Depending on your level of education, one of the important documents that will be required from you will be certified copies of your previous studies. While some Master’s applications require a Bachelor’s diploma, some programmes will also demand for a high school graduation certificate. This document usually includes data about the educational institution you attended, final grades, etc. Universities and colleges need these documents as proof that you attended and graduated from a previous level of education in order to qualify for the current programme you are applying for. The university admission board will take into account the reputation of the university where you graduated from.
2. Transcript from Your Bachelor’s Studies: This is another very important document you will be required to present. Academic transcripts give the university full details about the courses you studied at undergraduate level and the grades you made in each course. Universities expect these transcripts to be official copies from the institution and not screenshots or printed pages. Academic transcripts are important because seeing what courses you took can help universities decide if you have the necessary background and skills for the particular programme you are applying to.
3. Motivation Letter or Statement of Purpose: A motivation letter and a statement of purpose are very similar but they are different. Both documents focus on your background and reasons for applying for a particular degree. They are 1-2-page documents you write stating why you want to undertake a specific programme at their university, what career you hope to venture into after graduation and how the degree fits your plan. While a motivation letter requires you to focus more on the programme and how it relates to your background and your professional plans,  a statement of purpose requires you to talk about yourself, what has influenced and inspired your academic and professional journey, your interests and your professional goals. They are more personal documents that give you the chance to stand out in your application.
4. Reference Letters: Unlike personal statements and motivation letters, reference letters allow others to speak for you. They consider additional evidence of your ability to successfully complete the programme you are applying for. It can be written by your lecturers, employers or supervisors at your workplace. Whoever you choose to write this to depends solely on the area the Institution is checking. When applying to universities, make sure you have a functional email address, which anyone can create by registering an email address. You will also need an active cell phone number and a postal address.
5. English Proficiency Document: Students, especially those coming from non-English-speaking countries, are also required to present scores of an English language proficiency test. This is important because you will most likely study in English and Universities need to know that language will not in any way be a barrier in your studies. The most popular among these tests are TOEFL and IELTS.
6. Passport or visa: This is the most important document required for studying in South Africa. In case you don’t have one, please file for one well in advance. If you are not a South African citizen, you will also need a visa for studies in South Africa. These documents must be ready before anything else.

CONCLUSION

The experience and requirements for studying in one’s home country are quite different from studying in other countries like South Africa.

To apply for a University in South Africa, you will need to have certain documents ready. Without these documents, it is impossible to apply successfully at the University of your choice.

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