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14 December 2023 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Supplied
2024 Registration
Join the vibrant University of the Free State family and embark on an exciting academic journey! Regularly visit our comprehensive registration website for all the key info you need to thrive.

The University of the Free State (UFS) warmly welcomes its future, present, and returning students to an exciting academic year, where opportunities for growth, learning, and community abound. As a proud member of the vibrant UFS family, get ready to dive into a world of knowledge and experiences that will shape your future. The UFS strongly urges all incoming first-year and senior students to frequent the registration website for a complete and detailed overview of essential information.

Important dates to remember

All new first-year students, mark your calendars for essential dates:

  • Curriculum advice and registration: 5-9 February 2024
  • Classes commence: 12 February 2024
  • Last date to add/change modules: 16 February 2024
  • Deadline to cancel modules with full credit: 31 March 2024

Senior students, your academic year begins with guidance from your faculties – starting from 22 January 2024, leading to these crucial dates:

  • Registration: 29 January-12 February 2024
  • Classes commence: 12 February 2024
  • Last date to add/change modules: 16 February 2024
  • Last date to cancel modules with full credit: 31 March 2024

Postgraduate students, your journey towards enrolment and progression includes:

  • Registration for new research master’s and doctoral students takes place throughout the year.
  • For returning master’s and doctoral students:
  • First semester: 29 January-12 February 2024
  • Second semester: 8-19 July 2024

Resources at your fingertips

Navigate your registration journey smoothly with these resources:

  1. Registration Guide: 8 steps to take: https://ufsweb.co/3sZOOet
  2. Online Registration Guide – User Manual: https://ufsweb.co/489Qf8O
  3. Registration Guide – First-Year Students: https://ufsweb.co/4aeLQDF
  4. Registration Guide – Senior Students: https://ufsweb.co/46RMWSC
  5. Registration Guide – Postgraduate Students: https://ufsweb.co/3TnjeSm
  6. Registration Activity Guide – User Manual: https://ufsweb.co/47Tvv5O
  7. Service Request Management – User Manual: https://ufsweb.co/3t5cIFp

How to seek assistance

Should you require guidance or have enquiries regarding the registration process, multiple avenues are at your disposal:

Institutional Contact Centre: Call +27 51 401 9111 or WhatsApp +27 87 240 6370

Email Support: Reach out to studentadmin@ufs.ac.za

Faculty support tailored for you

Each faculty offers specialised support designed to cater to your needs:

  1. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: https://www.ufs.ac.za/econ
  2. Faculty of Education: https://www.ufs.ac.za/edu
  3. Faculty of Health Sciences: https://www.ufs.ac.za/health
  4. Faculty of The Humanities: https://www.ufs.ac.za/humanities
  5. Faculty of Law: https://www.ufs.ac.za/law
  6. Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: https://www.ufs.ac.za/natagri
  7. Faculty of Theology and Religion: https://www.ufs.ac.za/theology

Prepare to embark on an incredible academic expedition at the University of the Free State! As part of the UFS family, immerse yourself in a diverse, vibrant, and enriching community. Welcome aboard and get ready to thrive!

News Archive

Human Trafficking in Africa presented at Cambridge Counter Trafficking Summer School
2016-08-22

Description: Beatri Kruger Tags: Beatri Kruger

Prof Beatri Kruger

The Cambridge Centre for Applied Research in Human Trafficking (CCARHT) presented the Counter Trafficking Summer School programme from 31 July to 6 August 2016 in Cambridge, England. The Summer School was based on the 2020MDS vision for graduates and young professionals in law, finance, public policy and development.

 During the week-long programme, Prof Beatri Kruger, Adjunct Professor in Public Law at the University of the Free State and renowned researcher in human trafficking in South Africa, presented via Skype, some of the burning issues of human trafficking and developments in the Africa region. Her perspectives come at a crucial time in the development of research in the field, especially concerning practices that are unique to Africa and Southern Africa in particular.

Her presentation titled: Celebrations and challenges en route to #2020HTvision: Southern Africa perspective explores the significant progress made by African countries in implementing the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) legislations with some convictions and action plans to combat this heinous crime. In her lecture, Prof Kruger shared some of the controls used by traffickers over their victims.   She explained that these controls range from violence to financial and psychological measures. A strong psychological control method is the use of traditional rituals, termed “Juju” or witchcraft, by Nigerian traffickers, where fear is instilled in the victim to pledge loyalty to their captors.  Traffickers are generally known to also use drugs and alcohol to control victims.

Prof Kruger indicated that there is a significant number of human trafficking cases recorded in South Africa. However her particular focus is on the regional tradition of Ukuthwala. This tradition was  seen as a romantic game to expedite marriage negotiations, but recently the tradition is often abused to traffic young girls into forced marriages. 

She mentioned that some countries in Africa such as Zambia have made significant progress with enforcing laws that criminalise the use of traditions violating human rights. Prof Kruger presented her research to various other researchers and students from regions across the globe, including Asia, the Middle East, America and Europe.  This research will be published in the South African Review of Sociology in the coming months and in an international handbook on human trafficking in 2017.

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