/ 1 October 2008

Unisa revises its registration process

Unisa has revised its registration process to improve service to its nearly 290 000 students.

The revised process affects both first-time students and those who are re-registering for another year.

According to the university — South Africa’s only distance learning institution — the changes are aimed at speeding up service delivery to students, eliminating long queues, enabling staff to finalise registrations faster and issue study material more timeously.

Unisa receives about 50 000 first-time applications annually. The processing of these by student services is time-consuming and human-resource intensive.

Unisa’s central applications office will now deal with all these applications. This office will scan student applications to ensure they meet the necessary requirements and have the required documentation.

Applicants will get a student number which they will use for registration.

Registration will take place at the new facility on the Sunnyside campus in Pretoria and at regional offices where students will use computer self-help points to register. Assistants will be available to help them. Students can also register through the post, online or by fax.

The university will no longer accept cash or cheques at any registration points because of security reasons, but students can pay their fees by credit or debit card.

Once payment is received, tutorial material will be posted to students. Study material is sent free of charge but, if a student wishes, it can be couriered at a cost.

Students can also download their tutorial material on to a compact disc at the Sunnyside campus, at the regional centres or off the website, if they so wish.

Application forms from first-time students can be handed in at the South African Post Office where the documents will be scanned in and emailed directly to Unisa.

All students can now pay their study fees at the post office.

Students who are re-registering can register as usual but have to stick to the new methods of payment.

Unisa will send material to students as no study material will be issued directly at the time of registration.

How the new system works

  • First-time students apply to the central applications office prior to registration.
  • Pay R150 if you apply before September 30.
  • Pay R300 for a late application if you register between October 1 and January 9.
  • Register at the Sunnyside campus in Pretoria and at regional offices.
  • Pay fees by credit or debit card — no cash or cheques.
  • First-time applications can be handed in at the South African Post Office.
  • All students can now pay their study fees at the post office.