The 2026 academic year has officially begun at the University of the Free State (UFS), with first-year students on the Bloemfontein and South Campuses recently welcomed into the Kovsie community. This coming weekend, the same sense of anticipation and belonging will extend to the Qwaqwa Campus. Different campuses, one shared beginning.
First-year students are joining a university that has shaped generations of graduates who continue to carry the UFS with them long after they leave. Alumni often return to reflect on their experiences and still speak with pride about their time at the institution – a reflection of the deep sense of belonging that defines the Kovsie experience.
A year to grow, contribute, and belong
As the academic year begins, students are stepping into an environment that both challenges and supports them. During the welcoming, Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Hester C. Klopper emphasised that the university experience is about far more than obtaining a qualification.
“You did not come here just to get a degree or a job,” she said. “You came here to become someone who makes a difference and helps create responsible societal futures.”
At the UFS, students are encouraged to think critically, develop their voices, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. “Everything we do revolves around our students,” Prof Klopper noted. “We exist to equip them for the world of work, but also to develop them into responsible, valuable global citizens who will have a positive impact on their communities and beyond.”
The Kovsie experience is shaped across many spaces: lecture halls and laboratories, residences and libraries, sports fields and moments of reflection that reveal new confidence and capability. These experiences collectively support academic growth and personal development.
Looking ahead to the year, Prof Klopper called on students to approach their studies and campus life with confidence, courage, and a spirit of collaboration. “Education is indeed the most powerful weapon that can be used to change the world,” she said. “It should be used wisely and responsibly to help create a future that benefits society as a whole.”
University life extends beyond the classroom. Academic support, wellness services, leadership programmes, sport, culture, and student organisations all form part of a holistic student experience at the UFS. Students are encouraged to explore the
Division of Student Affairs website for information on available support services and development opportunities.
As the academic year unfolds across UFS campuses – and as the Qwaqwa Campus prepares to welcome its first-year students in the coming days – the message remains consistent: this is a formative time marked by opportunity, belonging, and growth.
Welcome home. Only a Kovsie knows the feeling.