Students at the University of the Free State (UFS) handed over a memorandum of demands to senior management on 8 October, after it became known that management had decided to discontinue provisional registration from the 2026 academic year.
Wannè Andrews of the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) at the UFS said the decision to stop provisional registration for students that can not afford to pay the more than R9 000 at the beginning of the academic year, leaves thousands of students unable to initiate or further their studies.
Senior director of communication and marketing of the UFS, Lacea Loader, responded with confirmation that the institution approved the discontinuation of provisional registration with effect from 2026.
Students will need to settle fees for 2025, make the first payment, or have proof of full funding before 2026 registration opens. She said the UFS has for many years been the only university that allowed students to register while they still had outstanding fees.
“This practice reflected the university’s commitment to access and success for all.”
She said the UFS was deeply concerned about the rising levels of student debt and the impact this has on both students and the institution.
“A comprehensive review of the 2025 registration data found that provisional registration is not an effective mechanism to support students with financial challenges,” Loader said.
“Each year, an average of 8% of UFS students register provisionally. In 2025, the majority of students who registered provisionally and signed payment arrangements were unable to meet their commitments: 58% paid no fees, while only 14% managed to settle their fees in full. As a result, most of these students would still face deregistration by mid-year due to unresolved historic debt.
“Notably, students who successfully converted from provisional to full registration did so primarily through UFS-funded bursaries, rather than personal payment.”
Andrews said the decision is a regressive and damaging policy that infringes upon the constitutional right to basic education and gambles with the futures of students.
“It is not a simple administrative adjustment, it is a deliberate barrier that unfairly targets poor and working-class families already struggling the most.
“By removing the critical lifeline of provisional registration, the UFS is effectively shutting the doors of higher education to students who rely on delayed funding from institutions like NSFAS or other bursaries.”
Loader expains that, under the new approach, bursary applications for the 2026 academic year will open during 2025, giving students more time to plan and secure funding.
She said the UFS would provide financial advice to help students in managing their finances, applying for funding, and avoiding registration-related crises.
