Academic Calendar

Intakes & Application Timelines in South Africa

Plan your application strategy with our guide to South Africa's university intake periods, application deadlines, and critical timelines for international students.

South Africa Academic Calendar

2027

Annual Intake Periods

Start of the academic year (The main intake. In 2026, the first-semester orientation at University of Cape Town (UCT) ran from 9 to 13 February.)

University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) postgraduate intakes (Wits runs postgraduate intakes in January, April, July and September.)

Deadline Alert

For a 2027 start, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) closing date is 12:00 on 31 October 2026. Ask your university about any later dates.

Most South African degrees start in February. The academic year runs from January to December.

Intake Periods

Intakes in South Africa

Most students start at the beginning of the year. Some postgraduate courses start during the year.

Main Intake

Start of the year

February

Key Information

The main intake for undergraduate degrees.
Postgraduate start dates differ: see the Wits intakes below.

Application Period

Opens 1 April the year before. Closes between May and October.

Each university and course has its own closing date.

Some courses

Second semester

Mid-year

Key Information

Stellenbosch University (SU) lets some students start in the second semester.
UCT charges half the International Term Fee (the yearly fee for students from outside Africa) to students who start in the second semester.

Application Period

Set for each course

Postgraduate

Wits postgraduate intakes

January, April, July, September

Key Information

Wits gives a scholarship for good marks (the Postgraduate Merit Award) at each of these four intakes.

Application Period

Set for each course

See the Wits course finder.

Tip

Leave time for the paper check that shows your school marks count (an exemption certificate) or a degree check by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Then allow 8 to 12 weeks or more for your study visa.

Critical Timelines

Key Dates for a 2027 Start

Closing dates for a 2027 start.

1 April 2026

Applications open

UCT, UP and UJ open applications. SU opens postgraduate applications.

30 June 2026

UP undergraduate closed

Veterinary Science closed on 31 May 2026.

31 July 2026

UCT undergraduate closed

No late applications.

30 September 2026

Wits undergraduate closed

Undergraduate and housing. Health Sciences closed on 30 June 2026.

31 October 2026, 12:00

UJ closing date

Undergraduate and most postgraduate courses.

Important

The undergraduate closing dates at UCT, Wits and University of Pretoria (UP) are over for a 2027 start. UJ's closing date is 12:00 on 31 October 2026. Ask your university about any later dates.

Academic Structure

The Academic Year

The year has two semesters.

Two semesters

The year is split into a first and a second semester.

Key Dates

First semester

Starts in February

Second semester

Starts mid-year

Academic Structure

January to December.

Special Academic Periods & Considerations

Beyond the standard academic calendar, there are several special periods and features to be aware of

Welcome week and sign-up

Before teaching starts. Orientation is a welcome week for new students. At UCT, you sign up for your courses during it.

Student housing opens

In 2026, UCT student housing (run by the university) opened for new students on Saturday, 31 January 2026.

Tip

Check your university's own calendar for sign-up and welcome week dates.

Application Planning

How Long Each Step Takes

How long each step takes.

Application Process	Undergraduate Students	Graduate Students
Exemption certificate (first degree)	About 6 to 8 weeks	-
SAQA check, normal speed	-	30 working days (about 6 weeks)
Study visa	8 to 12 weeks or longer	8 to 12 weeks or longer