Welcome to our students from across the world.
It is an honour for the current staff and students at the University of the Free State (UFS) to welcome our international students to our higher-learning environment. The world has gone through dramatic changes over the past year due to the pandemic, with COVID-19-related challenges having a major impact on institutions of higher learning across the globe. The impact of the pandemic on the UFS has been that we now teach many of our programmes and modules in a mixed mode of offering, consisting of face-to-face and distance-learning opportunities. Despite of these challenges, our wish for each of our international students is that you will have an intellectually and culturally stimulating experience, that you will have a lot of fun gaining new knowledge, that you will grow outside the formal classroom environment, and that you will make new friends and have opportunities to build relationships and networks across borders and across continents.
In spite of the restrictions on movement necessitated by the current pandemic, the UFS has prioritised the growth in the number of international students, and we aim to provide you – as an international student – an impactful experience. Our academics are working hard to ensure that we give you an excellent educational and training experience, both in the classroom and through remote learning. Outside of the classroom, the Office for International Affairs (OIA) has developed interventions to support you through Internationalisation at Home activities. These include the Umoja Buddy Programme, the annual Africa Day celebration, and the annual International Cultural Diversity Festival. We hope that you will get involved in all of these activities.
All our staff members, specifically those in the OIA, are committed to ensuring that your learning experience at the UFS is a positive one. Welcome, and make the best of every opportunity!