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17 February 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Sonia Small
UFS students

The University of the Free State realises that the registration period can be stressful and frustrating to students for various reasons. 

In an effort to ensure that as many students as possible can successfully register for the 2022 academic year, the University of the Free State (UFS) has introduced a number of financial concessions. These financial concessions are specifically intended to fast-track the registration process of students who are currently awaiting confirmation of funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

Students with challenges regarding the application of the N+ rule

Students who have previously registered for foundation programmes and those who have continued with mainstream programmes will be allowed to register without the prerequisite of a first payment. This is on condition that they apply with the N+ rule (an added year of funding) and that their respective foundation programmes are included in the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)-funded list. Only students who do not have outstanding debt will qualify for this concession. 

2022 NSFAS-funded students

In addition, students whose funding has been confirmed by NSFAS for the 2022 academic year, will be permitted to register without a first payment.

Students without NSFAS 2022 funding confirmation with outstanding debt

Students awaiting NSFAS funding confirmation for 2022 will be allowed to register provisionally if their debt does not exceed R25 000.
Approval has been obtained to increase the maximum debt carried forward from 2021 from R20 000 to R25 000 to enable students to register provisionally.

Provisional registration for continuing NSFAS students 

Furthermore, continuing NSFAS students who are currently awaiting funding confirmation for the 2022 academic year, will be permitted to register provisionally. These are students
• who have been funded by NSFAS in 2021; 
• whose funding reflects on the NSFAS Bursary Agreement Report for the year 2021; and
• who have passed 50% of registered modules in 2021 or are in their final year in 2022. 
• The offer for continuing students to register provisionally also extend to those who are in the N+1 period. 

The official registration of these students will be subject to funding approval from NSFAS for the 2022 academic year. To ensure that all students are in classes on 21 February 2022, the abovementioned group of students have until 31 March 2022 to confirm their funding. 

Conditional registration for first-time entering students

With registration an overwhelming experience for first-time entering students, the UFS is also looking at concessions for these students who will start their studies at the university this year. 

The university has given first-time entering students who have applied for NSFAS funding and are awaiting confirmation, until 28 February 2022 to finalise their registration. 

Permission to finalise registration a week after the UFS registration cut-off time is granted to all South African first-time entering undergraduate students who are admitted and term-activated for 2022 NSFAS-funded academic programmes, and whose funding has not yet been confirmed. 

The amount payable for conditional registration for first-time entering students (residential and non-residential) is R500.

The UFS is hopeful that these financial concessions will assist in calming anxiety around the ongoing registration process.


News Archive

UFS’s Unit for Children’s Rights instrumental in helping human trafficked victim
2010-03-29

Adv. Beatri Kruger.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
“Wheeling and dealing is part of our daily life. But what if the ‘product’ bought or sold is not a spanner or a cell phone, but a living human being? Disturbing news came to the fore... apart from other places in the country, and for that matter all over the world, it was discovered that people are treated like commodities here in Bloemfontein as well,” said Adv. Beatri Kruger from the Unit for Children’s Rights at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Adv. Kruger was instrumental in completing and availing the first comprehensive Research Report on Human Trafficking in South Africa to the public on 23 March 2010. As a member of the Reference Group advising on interim research reports on human trafficking, she contributed to the report. The report proves to be an extremely valuable tool for, among others, government departments and non-governmental organisations that use it as a guideline in planning interventions to combat human trafficking.

The Unit for Children’s Rights is also one of the founding members of the Free State Human Trafficking Forum (FHF). To react on and fight the disturbing reality of human trafficking more efficiently, a number of concerned role players such as Child Welfare and other non-governmental organisations, police officials, prosecutors, social workers, health practitioners, private businesses, churches and community organisations joined forces and formed the FHF. The Unit for Children’s Rights hosts monthly meetings at the UFS to facilitate the coordination of this multi-disciplinary counter-trafficking team.

Adv. Kruger is very excited about some of the successes of the FHF; such as the story of Soma (not her real name). This Indian woman was recruited in India by an Indian couple who are staying in South Africa, by promising her a good job in South Africa. However, instead of finding the promised job, Soma was extensively exploited for labour purposes. With the help of a “good Samaritan” she managed to escape from the perpetrators and fled to the police. Soma was removed to ensure her safety and accommodated in a safe place in Bloemfontein. Counselling and other services were rendered to her by an organisation which is also a member of the FHF. One of the challenges facing Soma and the service providers was that Soma speaks a foreign dialect and for weeks a trusted interpreter could not be found.

This obstacle rendered communication with her to the bare minimum. The perpetrators were arrested but unfortunately the new comprehensive counter-trafficking law is not in force yet. Therefore the perpetrators could only be convicted of some offences in the Immigration Act. However, due to good police investigation followed by shrewd consultations, the perpetrators agreed to pay for the victim’s return flight to India as well as for the flight ticket of the investigating officer to escort her to safety. The Unit for Children’s Rights did networking with Ms Maria Nikolovska of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), who agreed to assist in the safe reintegration of Soma in India. Soma is now on her way back home.

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