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Simplifying your registration journey

13 December 2024 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo Supplied

Student Registration 2025 — We welcome you to the University of the Free State! The 2025 academic year is fast approaching, and we can’t wait to see new and returning students on campus. Remember: Online registration opens on 7 January 2025; early registration is key to securing your place!

The University of the Free State (UFS) is excited to welcome new and returning students for the 2025 academic year. To ensure a smooth transition into university life, it is essential for all prospective and current students to familiarise themselves with the registration process.

To avoid delays, all students are advised to complete their registration as early as possible, as some programmes may have specific deadlines that differ from the general dates mentioned.

Registration methods

The UFS strongly encourages all students to use the online registration platform for a quick and easy process. This method is available for both new and returning students; please visit the official registration website for steps to register online.

However, a face-to-face, on-campus option is available to students who need additional support. Click on your relevant faculty below to learn more about the dates and on-campus venues.

Click to view document Faculty of Theology and Religion

Click to view document Faculty of The Humanities

Click to view document Faculty of Health Sciences

Click to view document Faculty of Education

Click to view document Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences

Click to view document Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Click to view document Faculty of Law

Key dates to keep in mind

	First semester	Second Semester
Online Registration	7 January - 7 February 2025	21 - 25 July 2025
Curriculum advice and registration for first-year students	27 January - 7 February 2025	21 - 25 July 2025
Curriculum advice and registration for senior students	20 January – 7 February 2025	21 - 25 July 2025
Curriculum advice and registration for Postgraduate students	20 January – 7 February 2025 Honours and PGDip (unless communicated otherwise by your faculty)	21 - 25 July 2025 Honours and PGDip (unless communicated otherwise by your faculty)
Classes start on	10 February 2025	21 July 2025
The last date to add or change module	14 February 2025	25 July 2025
The last date to cancel modules with full credit	31 March 2025	15 August 2025
Returning master’s and doctoral students can register during the official registration period.	20 January – 31 March 2025 for the first semester or a year programme, NOT during the month they initially registered	21 - 25 July 2025

Do you need further assistance? We’ve got you covered!

Should you require further guidance or have enquiries regarding the registration process, multiple avenues for support are available:

Institutional Call Centre: Call +27 51 401 9111 or WhatsApp +27 87 240 6370
Email support: Reach out to studentadmin@ufs.ac.za

The UFS experience is about more than just academic achievement; it’s about becoming part of something larger than yourself.

From exciting student activities to cutting-edge research, you’ll be surrounded by opportunities that challenge, support, and inspire you to take bold steps in your personal and professional growth. Welcome to a place where you don’t just learn – you thrive, evolve, and make lasting connections that will shape your future.

News Archive

Agriculture must adapt to change

2008-11-28

At the launch of "50 years of agriculture" at the UFS were, from the left: Mr Corwyn Botha: Chairman: Agri Business Chamber and Managing Director: Cape Agri Group, Mr Motsepe Matlala, President of NAFU, Mr Hans van der Merwe, Executive Head: Agri SA, Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk: Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS, and Mr Sugar Ramakarane, Head: Department of Agriculture, Free State Province.
Photo: Lacea Loader

“The biggest factor driving agriculture today is change. Our major challenge is to adapt to this changing environment.” This was stated by Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) during the recent celebration of the faculty’s “50 years in agriculture”.

Prof. Van Schalkwyk stated that the most important changes include power relationships in supply chains, consumer demand, new products and technology in agriculture, government action and developments in neighbouring states. “At the moment there is very little cooperation between small-scale farmers, small-scale farmers and commercial farmers and farmers and processors. There are also low levels of processing, low levels of value adding and a lack of creative thinking in agriculture," he said.

“This must change – we need comprehensive agricultural support and new business ideas in agriculture. We need better infrastructure, value chain financing and improved institutional support,” he said.

Speaking about agriculture and institutional co-operation in the Free State, Mr Sugar Ramakarane, Chief Director of the Free State Department of Agriculture, said that the UFS plays a vital role in bringing together organised agriculture in the province. “The responsibility of transforming our economy cannot be done by government alone. We need partners like the UFS to assist us with bringing together the two most important stakeholders of the agricultural sector, namely the National Farmers’ Union (NAFU) and Free State Agriculture. You can assist us with harnessing co-operation and providing practical solutions," he said

Mr Ramakarane said that his department is aware of the university’s good work with emerging farmers. “But, I want to encourage the university to help us with skills transfer and the development of the emerging farmers. You can play a vital role in developing a mentorship programme. Yours remains a central and critical role of being torch bearers in guiding the transformation agenda of our country," he said.

In his contribution on the challenges of small scale farmers in South Africa and the role of the university, Mr Motsepe Matlala, President of NAFU, said that unity in organised agriculture and working together with other stakeholders has become even more crucial with regard to the global challenges now faced by the country. “The university should take the lead in guiding all farmers on how to respond to, among others, the global financial turmoil and politics, developments in trade negotiations, food prices, input costs and the availability of energy," he said.

“If the UFS, and more specifically the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, is to continue to play a leading role in academia as well as in the production of research that matters to the growth and development of this country, it must adopt an approach that seeks to harness the capacity of everyone in an inclusive manner. The strides already made in this regard must be applauded,” Mr Matlala said.

Speaking on the future challenges in agriculture and the role of universities, Mr Hans van der Merwe, Executive Head of Agri SA said that South Africa has not spent money on agricultural development in a long time. “We must increase our product capacity in the agricultural sector. Universities must focus on cultivating enough expertise and the skills necessary to manage the resources and capacity needed," he said. In his view, South Africa must also focus on technological advancement in agriculture as this has also been neglected in the past. He urged universities to provide best-practice education and to look at international trends in agricultural training. “That is why we should not only focus our attention on South Africa, but on southern Africa,” Mr van der Merwe said.

In conclusion to the day’s programme, Mr Corwyn Botha, Chairperson of the Agricultural Business Chamber, Managing Director of the Cape Agri Group and former Kovsie stated that: “If you want to be an example of leadership, people around you must do better because you are there. A university should evaluate itself in this context. You cannot create solutions to problems with the same attitude in which the problems were created."

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
28 November 2008

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