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29 March 2019 | Story Lacea Loader

No deregistration of students at the University of the Free State (UFS) will be effected until after the Financial Appeals Committee has concluded its process on 5 April 2019.

During a meeting between the university management and the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) today, the following agreement was reached:

  1. The date for the submission of appeals has been extended to Tuesday 2 April 2019 at 12:00. No further extension will be given. The application form for the Financial Appeals Committee has previously been sent to the ufs4life email addresses of all provisionally registered students.
  2. Students who have appealed their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) outcomes will not be deregistered while awaiting the result of the outcome of their appeal.
  3. Verified final-year students who are provisionally registered will not be deregistered. This will be subject to verification by the Financial Appeals Committee. These students must also submit an appeal.
  4. All other categories of students must submit their appeals to the Financial Appeals Committee.

NB: The documentation mentioned above must be submitted to the Student Finance Office as indicated on the financial appeals form sent to students via their ufs4life email address.

The UFS has taken a pro-poor approach to assist students who are academically deserving. With this approach, the university’s fee structure is much less than that of many public institutions of higher learning in the country. Senior students are also supported through a provisional registration process that grants them the opportunity to pay a reduced amount in order to register, enabling them to fully participate in all activities while extension is provided to secure the necessary funding for their studies.

The university has made a number of concessions to ensure that students are not financially excluded during the 2019 academic year. Many of these concessions were raised by the ISRC on behalf of students and was agreed upon by the university management.  

These concessions include:

  1. Students who have confirmed NSFAS funding for 2019 with historic debt, are to secure registration. This has taken place before the announcement on 24 March 2019 by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Naledi Pandor, that the historic debt of NSFAS students will be settled by the department.

     

  2. Students in the missing middle who received a gap grant in 2018, have been assisted to pay a lesser amount to register fully for 2019.

     

  3. Students with historic debt who are not receiving the gap grant have also been assisted to register for 2019. Acceptable payment plans for these students have been agreed upon with the university’s Student Finance Office.

     

  4. First-time entering students were assisted with a reduced first payment to enable them to register for 2019.

     

  5. Final-year students with historic debt of less than R20 000 who could not have been assisted in any of the above concessions explained above were allowed to register.

     

  6. Students who are provisionally registered and who could not find the necessary financial means, had the opportunity to submit appeals to the Financial Appeals Committee by 29 March 2019 to secure their registration. This committee comprises representatives of the university management, as well as members of the ISRC. This committee is scheduled to meet on 5 April 2019.

The above is evidence of the multi-layered efforts by the university to support academic deserving students as far as it is practically possible in order to avoid financial exclusion. Additionally, the university’s Student Finance Office has since the beginning of the academic year communicated extensively on the process with students who are at risk of being deregistered.  

Historically, less than 0,5% of registered students at the UFS are not able to find the necessary means to secure their registration.

To support students in their academic efforts, all matters pertaining to registration should be concluded by the end of the first term. A cut-off date is set by which all registration processes – including concessions – are to be concluded. This date – 31 March 2019 – has already been set in 2018, which is the result of consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including the IRSC.

This cut-off date has now been extended to Tuesday 2 April 2019 at 12:00.

Released by:

Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Marketing)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393



News Archive

Breakfast in aid of hungry students
2011-06-01

Our university again proved that it cares for the welbeing of its students when a sum of money was presented to the No Student Hungry Project during a breakfast function.

The Centre for Health and Wellness at the UFS organised the event, not only to introduce the scheme to staff and individuals and thank those concerned for their contributions, but also to present the project organisers with a donation of R50 000. Mrs Grace Jansen, wife of Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector and Dr Carin Buys, wife of Mr Rudi Buys, Student Dean, started the project this year after a study found that 20% of students at the UFS have to study on an empty stomach and that this often leads to students leaving the UFS prematurely.

Ms Tanja Malherbe, mistress of ceremonies, said that the project is blessed because it developed from the founder members’ love for the students. The project currently provides 6 000 deserving students with a meal per day.

Prof. Jansen said that although the university encourage academic success, the UFS is also ready to show its mettle on a humanitarian level. “We don’t want students to only study together, but also to eat together.” He added that food can promote a feeling of fellowship, gives comfort and is also a symbol for caring. “It is bad to be hungry, no matter what the colour of your skin. Especially when other people have food and you don’t.”He concluded by saying that we are blessed by giving to other people, and by giving, we also receive.

Ms Tarryn Nell, also from the centre, supported him by comparing caring to candlelight. “It drives the darkness away, involves compassion and gives direction. When two people can get things to change, the rest will follow.” She encouraged the audience to share their warmth, time, knowledge and resources with other people.

During the event, a picture summary also referred to two recent projects the centre hosted. The first was a free medical screening test for staff members and the second a temporary remembrance rose garden, representing the five main causes of deaths in the country. These causes are HIV, ischemic heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis and interpersonal violence.

The proceeds from Prof. Jansen’s book “We need to talk,” will be donated to the project. Persons wishing to make a contribution, can make a payment to the following account: ABSA 157085 0071, reference number 146 674 604, account number 0198, branch code 632 005. Deposit slips can be sent to pelserr@ufs.ac.za. 

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