Placement in Junior Residences

Application forms can be obtained by phoning 051 401 3000 or directly from the information desk at the Thakaneng Bridge. Completed application forms, with the necessary documentation and application fee, must be sent back to the UFS.

Once the forms have been received, they are processed at Admissions and a student number is allocated automatically.

Housing and Residence Affairs receive data from all residence applicants through RMS.

All the reservations for placement in a residence are done according to the Placement Policy: Junior Residences.

Name lists of first-year applicants, according to their choice of residence, are printed and made available to Residence Heads.

Reservation letters are printed and sent to the successful applicants. Between four and six weeks are allowed for applicants to respond to these letters, by indicating whether they accept or wish to cancel the reservation, or request to be put on the waiting list.

The General Contract Conditions Pertaining to Accommodation in Junior Residences are attached to the reservation letters.

Applicants who accept their reservations must send the deposit as well as the attachment back to Housing and Residence Affairs. Both the applicant and his/her parent/guardian must sign the contract as confirmation that he/she agrees to comply with the terms of the contract.

A contingency deposit is payable by all first-time residence residents, as well as students who have previously stayed in a residence, cancelled or moved out, and later applied for residence accommodation again.

The contingency deposit is kept by the UFS as a guarantee that a reservation will be taken, as well as for possible breakages and any other outstanding amount on a student’s university account.

The amount of the contingency deposit is reviewed and adapted from time to time. The UFS reserves the right to use this deposit to minimise any outstanding amount on a student’s university account.

An acknowledgement of receipt is mailed to each applicant who has accepted his/her reservation and paid the contingency deposit.

During November, information pamphlets are sent to prospective residents regarding necessities, roommates, etc. (eg. the Kovsie Guide, Prime Letters, RAG Collection Lists).

By the middle of February, Placement Administration must have received all the residents’ final room numbers from the Residence Heads.

Replacement of Current Residents

By the end of August/beginning of September each year, renewal notices are sent to all current residents in junior residences. Students must complete these form to indicate whether or not they will make use of the residence facilities during the following year. Residents are allowed ONE week to complete these forms.

The completed forms must be sent via the Residence Head to Housing and Residence Affairs. The forms of those students who intend to stay are separated from those who cancelled.

The replacement of current residents is done according to the Replacement Regulation: Junior Residences.

Students who intend to renew their places are evaluated according to the replacement criteria. Only those who conform to the requirements are re-placed for the following year.

Senior Students who Move into the Residence before the Specified Time

At the beginning of the year, first-year students report at the residence a week before the arrival of senior students. During this period, senior students are generally not allowed to move into the residence.

Students will have to submit a very strong motivation if they want to obtain permission from Housing and Residence Affairs to move into residences before the start of the academic year.

First-year Students who Arrive after the Date specified for Moving into the Residences

If a student has not arrived at the residence two days after the date that he/she was supposed to move in and specific arrangements have not been made, the Residence Head has to inform Housing and Residence Affairs of the situation. This student’s reservation will then be cancelled.

Senior Students who Book Reservations but who do not turn up

If a student books a reservation in a residence for the next year and does not turn up, or cancels such a reservation after 31 December of the previous year, he/she will be liable for the payment of a penalty equivalent to the contingency deposit of the current year. This amount will be debited to the student’s tuition fees account by Housing and Residence Affairs.

Procedures pertaining to Changing of Rooms

A resident may not move to another room without the written consent of Housing and Residence Affairs.

The student who wants to move has to collect the necessary form from the Residence Head. If he/she and the Prime approve, the completed form must be handed in at Placement Administration.

Students may move to another room until 15 February without any liability.

If a student should move to another room without the consent of Housing and Residence Affairs, he/she is subjected to a fine which will be debited to the student’s account. Illegal changes will be identified during the monthly resident-control meeting.

Students who Change Residence

The student has to be referred to Housing and Residence Affairs, Pres Steyn Annex, where he/she can collect both the transfer and cancellation forms.

The transfer form must be signed by the Residence Head and the Prime of the prospective residence as well as by the current Residence Head and Prime.

The cancellation form must also be completed and signed by the current Residence Head, Service Manager, and Prime.

The student has to hand in all the linen and other issued items to the Service Manager of the residence that is being vacated. New linen and stock will be issued to the student at the other residence.

Both forms must be handed in at Room 120 or Room 121 at Pres Steyn Annex on the day the student changes residence.

When the administration process has been completed, the student will be handed a proof of residence of the new residence. This proof must be taken to the Card Division in order to have the student’s student card activated to swipe at the new residence.

After having completed all these steps, the student may move into the other residence.

If a student should move to another residence without the consent of Housing and Residence Affairs, he/she is subjected to a fine.

Students who move from a junior to a senior residence at the beginning of the year, has to have a proof of application. This form must be handed in at Housing and Residence Affairs before the UFS closes in December.

These students must also prove that they had initially reserved their places in the junior residences (as suggested in the renewal notice that is sent to all students in junior residences each year during the end of August/the beginning of September).

Cancellation of Accommodation during the Course of the Year

If a resident wants to cancel his/her accommodation during the course of the year, the following steps must be taken:

• Obtain the required cancellation form from Housing and Residence Affairs, Room 120 or Room 121, Pres Steyn Annex.
• Complete all the relevant sections on the cancellation form.
• Hand in linen and other supplies to the Service Manager and obtain his/her signature on the cancellation form. Even in cases where no linen or other items were issued, the signature of the Service Manager has to be on the cancellation form.
• The Residence Head and the RC responsible for breakages will compare any damage in the room with the inventory form of the room in question. Any damage other than normal wear and tear will be reported to Housing and Residence Affairs by the Residence Head. The costs incurred will be debited to the student’s account.
• Obtain signatures on the cancellation form from the Residence Head and Prime.
• Hand in the cancellation form at Housing and Residence Affairs.
• Before leaving the residence, the keys must be handed in to the person responsible for keys (Residence Head/Placement Officer).
• It remains the sole responsibility of the student to hand in the completed cancellation form with the necessary signatures at Housing and Residence Affairs.
• Housing and Residence Affairs will not accept a cancellation form without the necessary three signatures.

Note: The cancellation date will be regarded as the date on which the form is submitted at Housing and Residence Affairs, or the date on which the residence was vacated, whichever is the most recent.

Leaving Residence at the End of the Semester

After completion of the examinations, students may remain until the residence closes, provided that they cause no disturbance. If they cause a disturbance, the Residence Head may ask the student concerned to leave the residence immediately. The Residence Head may impose a fine. This amount is to be paid into the residence account.

Closing and Reopening of Residences

During vacations, the residences close at 10:00 on the day after the closing date, or the last day of the examinations, and reopens at 10:00 on the day before the university reopens. Students who return before 10:00 on this particular day must make the necessary arrangements with the Residence Head or Prime.

Residence Occupation during Holidays

Residence accommodation during holidays can be provided to students on certain conditions.

The UFS residence fee does not include holiday accommodation. This is paid for separately.

Female and male residents who stay in residences where certain areas cannot be blocked, are accommodated in a guest residence. (Refer to Holiday Residency for Students)

Female and male students who stay in residences where certain areas can be blocked, can stay in the blocked areas of the residence. (Refer to Holiday Residency for Students)

Visitors Staying Overnight in Residences

A resident may not give permission to a person of the opposite and/or same sex to enter the room and/or stay overnight on times other than those stipulated in the rules for visiting hours.

Guests may stay in a residence for a maximum of two nights, only in exceptional circumstances, and with the written permission of the Residence Head, obtained beforehand.

Persons who provide accommodation to visitors without permission, will be fined by Housing and Residence Affairs. Such a person will be liable to pay the current day tariff, and/or be asked to vacate his/her room.