Important Information Pertaining to Student Fees and Funding for 2018

IMPORTANT INFORMATION PERTAINING TO STUDENT FEES AND FUNDING FOR 2018

Fees and funding for 2018

Please note that an 8% tuition fee increment will be implemented in 2018.

Residence accommodation rental will increase by 10 % in 2018but there will be no increase in the price of residence dining hall meals.

First Time Entering Students (Undergraduates)

If you have been made a firm offer by Wits University, you must accept the offer if you wish to study at the University.
Once you accept the offer, the first fee payment of R9340 is due before you enroll.
Students with provisional NSFAS offers for 2018; students on full scholarships and bursaries and those who fall within the new funding threshold as announced by the Presidency may not be required to make the first fee payment. See below for details.

Students on NSFAS funding

Students who have been made a provisional NSFAS funding offer for 2018 are not required to make the first fee payment.

Students on full bursaries and scholarships

Students who have been given a full Wits University scholarship or any other approved external bursary/scholarshipmust present proof to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, and may not be required to make the first fee payment.

First time entering students who have been awarded bursaries or scholarships from other funders, and who meet the NSFAS eligibility criteria, will not qualify for full NSFAS bursaries. NSFAS will only consider financial aid to these students on a ‘top-up’ basis if they are not fully funded through their bursary or scholarship. NSFAS will work with universities to ensure that there is no “double dipping”.

Should you receive a Wits University Entrance Scholarship, you will not be eligible to receive the monetary value of the award if you are receiving a NSFAS grant or another bursary.

Students whose gross householdincome per annum is R350000 or below

Any first time entering student whose gross household income per annum is R350 000 or below will receive funding in 2018, which will be made available as a bursary, with conditions, if the student qualifies.
Students who apply and qualify for these bursaries will have to sign a contract with NSFAS. The contract will have binding obligations attached. These will include academic requirements as well as service requirements.
The actual cost of tuition and prescribed study materials will be covered. Qualifying students may alsobe eligible for subsidised accommodation and living costs, including meals. Accommodation will be capped at defined institutional accommodation rates. Where meals are not included in the cost, a separate standard allowance will be made available.

In order to enrol at Wits, students whose gross household income per annumis R350000 or below, must

(a)request a deferral of the first fee payment viathe self-service portal

(b)tick the block that indicates that your gross household income per annum is R350 000 or below.

(c)your registration service indicator will be dropped

(d)you will be directed to a link in order to download the NSFAS consent form.

(e)Please complete the NSFAS validation consent form, sign it and either scan it and mail it to or drop of the signed form at the Financial Aid Office on the ground floor of Solomon Mahlangu House.

This information will be shared with NSFAS in order to assist students in this category to obtain grant funding from NSFAS.

Students whose gross household income per annum is above R350000 but below R600000 per annum

Students whose gross household income per annumis more than R350000 but below R600 000 per annumwillhave only their2018 feeincreasepaid for by the statethrough the gap grant funding if they have applied for it.

Students in this category must

(a)apply for the gap funding via the self-service portal

(b)Once logged in to the self-service portal, navigate as follows:

Select Financial Aid and Residence
Select Apply for Scholarships and Bursaries
Select Aid Year 2018
Select apply/update application
Select the Funding Type
Select DHET GAP Funding

Students who cannot afford the first fee payment

Students who cannot afford the first fee payment must:

(a)access the self-service portal via acknowledge that payment can only be made by the 30th of March 2018, by which time all fees should be settled in full or an Acknowledgement of Debt should be signed.

Returning Undergraduate Students

The first fee payment of R9340 is due before you enroll.
Students on NSFAS funding and those on full Wits or external scholarships or bursaries may not be required to make the first fee payment. See below for details.

Students on NSFAS funding

Students already in the system and funded through NSFAS under current criteria, will continue to be funded.This means that these students will receive full bursaries for the actual cost of tuition and prescribed learning materials, as well as subsidised accommodation, where applicable.Qualifying students may be eligible for subsidised accommodation and living costs, including meals.

In terms of the new funding model, the state provides the cost of accommodation, meals and basic living requirements cappedat a specific amount for those who require it. Need will be determined according to policy. Accommodation will be capped at defined institutional accommodation rates. Where meals are not included in the cost, a separate standard allowance will be made available.

Please note that students who have been awarded bursaries or scholarships from other funders will not qualify for full NSFAS bursaries. NSFAS will only consider financial aid to these students on a ‘top-up’ basis if they are not fully funded through their bursary or scholarship. No “double dipping” will be permitted.

Students on full bursaries and scholarships

Students who have been given a full Wits University scholarship or any other approved external bursary/scholarship must present proof to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, and may not be required to make the first fee payment.

Students whose gross household income per annum is below R350000 per annum

Thenew funding threshold for students with a gross household income of R350000 or less, only applies to new, first time entering students who completed matric and who are new to the University. This does not apply to returning students.

Students whose gross household income isabove R350000 but below R600000 per annum

Students from households with a gross household income per annum above R350000 but below R600 000 willhave only their2018 feeincreasepaid for by the statethrough gap grant funding if they have applied for it.

Students who applied for and received the gap grant funding in 2017 will not have to apply again and will be automatically funded.

Students who did not apply in 2017 and wish to receive the gap grantfunding for 2018 must apply at the time of registration on the self-service portal.

Students who fall into this category must:

(a) apply for the gap funding via the self-service portal

(b)Once logged in to the self-service portal, navigate as follows:

Select Financial Aid and Residence
Select Apply for Scholarships and Bursaries
Select Aid Year 2018
Select apply/update application
Select the Funding Type
Select DHET GAP Funding

Students who cannot afford the first fee payment

Students who cannot afford the first fee payment must:

Students with outstanding fees

(a)Students owing R10 000 or less from prior year debt will be able to roll over the debt and register in 2018.

(b)Students owing more than R10 000 will be able to re-register with prior year debt if 50% of the historical debt is paid, and an Acknowledgement of Debt is signed and a payment plan with the Fees Office is arranged.

(c)NSFAS-funded continuing students who have university debt will be permitted to register.

Postgraduate Students (New and Returning)

A student has to receive a firm offer from the University if he/she is enrolling in a new programme.

The first fee payment of R9340 is due before you enrol.

Students who cannot afford the first fee payment

Students who cannot afford the first fee payment must:

Students whose gross household income is below R600000 per annum

Students from households with a gross household income per annum below R600 000 willhave only their2018 feeincreasepaid for by the statethrough gap grant funding if they have applied for it.

Students who applied for and received the gap grant funding in 2017 will not have to apply again and will be automatically covered.

Students who did not apply in 2017 and wish to receive the gap grantfunding for 2018 must apply at the time of registration on the self-service portal.

Students who fall into this category must:

(a)apply for the gap funding via the self-service portal

(b)Once logged in to the self-service portal, navigate as follows:

Select Financial Aid and Residence
Select Apply for Scholarships and Bursaries
Select Aid Year 2018
Select apply/update application
Select the Funding Type
Select DHET GAP Funding

Students with outstanding fees

Students owing R10 000 or less from prior year debt will be able to roll over the debt and register in 2018.

Students owing more than R10 000 will be able to re-register with prior year debt if 50% of the historical debt is paid, and an Acknowledgement of Debt is signed and a payment plan with the Fees Office is arranged

International Students

Valid VISA
Full-time: Study visa - this reflects that you will be studying at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Part-time: Critical/General Work Visa/Intra-Company or Business Visa
Holders of Refugee Permits, Asylum Seeker Permits and Diplomatic Visas can visit the International Students Office website for requirements.

A Fees Quotation form needs to be obtained from your Faculty/School Office indicating the course codes you intend to register for.

The completed Fees Quotation is to be submitted to the Fees Office in order to obtain your fees quotation for the academic year.

Payment of fees:75 % of the tuition fees and related costs are required to be paid prior to the annual enrolment; the remaining 25% must be paid by 31 March.

Failure to complete this payment may mean you could be deregistered.

If you are sponsored, your sponsorship letter has to be vetted by the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO).

Clearance to Register: Once payment has been made, please submit proof of payment to the Fees Office, and they will provide your Fees Clearance.

Present the completed Fees Clearance, Passport, Visa and proof of SA medical aid membership for the current year to the International Students Office to obtain the clearance to enroll

Please refer to letters that were emailed to you, as well as the link included herewith

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